They can **** you
long before you retire.
A sore muscle
becomes a blown-out knee
compounded upon
every other ache
and blistering pain.

No sleep
cause you work
almost every day
doing it the
addicting
cigarette,
coffee,
caffeine,
and
nicotine
way.

Stress,
till, tension
numbs,
till, the beating drums
barely thud
then beat no more
ceasing before
you even hit
sixty-four.

Now you wonder what
you were worrying about
retiring for
when we are barely surviving
anymore.