Karen returns home from her doctor visit
She has been crying . What is it?
Darren, her husband asked
Getting to the truth his task

Karen whispered as if speaking the words out loud would make it true she knew
“ I have terminal cancer it’s not good”
Darren Shocked to attention yelled NO

As if saying NO would make it so
there’s got to be a way give us another day
If his hug could make it go away,
Her eyes lowered “Insurance will not pay”
Darren “there has to be another plan play”

Karen is strangely, subdued Serene calm
The doctor’s news was a ticking time bomb
Darren couldn’t see her silent cries
Yelling, begging a million why, lord why!

The doctor asked; what do you want out of life? Cancer in a plateau how much farther do you expect to go? California favors assisted suicide Dr. Kavorkjan will reside

There is one answer the only answer we have left. This will put our love to the test.
The doctor will make her comfortable
let nature take its course Doctor knows best

Karen suggests they get a divorce
Releasing the Financial burden of course
expensive medical bills, Cancer kills.
Her cancer is curable with the right pills

But the insurance company will not pay.
If she were rich, nothing left to say,
have the surgery continue on life’s way.
But for Karen. This’ll be her final day.

She could be saved if she had the money,
If her insurance would paid oh honey
The surgery going under the knife
The only thing that could save her life

it’s considered elective ,exploratory.
The same old song and dance new story
Insurance owns all the players in this crime.
Standard denial. appeal process takes time

Time’s lost luxury Go home and Die!.
What is the benefit of living?
A little more time to say goodbye?
Downside; To watch life’s gruesome cry

unrecognizable changes Ravaged by pain
The cost of keeping their loved one insane  Inhumane fact is it comes down to money, ironic, fortuitous, perhaps life it’s not funny

what is your life worth? Are you worth  more dead on this earth  then alive?
Strange contemplation Troubled revelation
to grapple what is the drive and why strive

Karen’s memory
safely ensconced behind protective glass.
My sister had Grace pose class now passed
Her name a smear campaign Society blame
Choose another name to attack those insane

Inspired song
Karen by The Beach Boys 1969

I worked with Medical Dr’s (Bill collector)
They Call me the money protector
Many doctors are big on cronyism
Also equally unsettling nepotism

These are extreme situations
Degradation of employees separations
It creates division among the ranks
Inevitably staff implode, explodes, tanks

When the doctor’s manager is his wife
Happy wife, happy life, hide the knife
If the office Manager is the Dr’s best friend
Incompetence is something to comprehend

The wives make life a living hell
Dr’s Friend it’s too tricky to tell
Pretty young ignorant girls
Blonde silhouette Substantial curls

Perhaps too happy or had too much to say
rubbed the wife or friend the wrong way
Dr caught in the middle of the rift
Favoritism with a twist cynicisms mist

Money is always the bottom line crime
Hand in the cookie jar overtime
Then an attempt to shift the blame
The stories differ yet remains the same

It’s hard to see what’s in front of our face
Lack of honor,  Truth without a trace
Emerging out the other side
Gossip lies backstabbing pride

Beware avoid this hellish nightmare
Self serving money hungry without a Care
Office politics traps and devilish mishaps
Avoid at all cost else your soul will be lost

When interviewed look for the signs
Ask questions have a backbone spine
You’re looking for the best work fit
Time spent in anguish, agony not worth it

Hindsight word to wise else your demise
Evil eyes no surprise when workplace dies
No amount of money is worth this abyss
Find the right fit workplace,  peace Bliss

Inspired songs
1) Bad case of loving you( Doctor, doctor)
By Robert Palmer
2) money by Pink Floyd

You build me with
turquoise and
the mountains of Taos.
Cerulean blue
serenity in my soul.
My heart chases
after you.
Even your chisel
helped me
grow through
the pain.
You
are the
grand artist,
The Supreme
sculpter.

Hindered by the need for practicality,
The song that longs to heal the world
Remains unsung.
The steps that would have mended broken spirits
Remain undanced.

Blinded by the need to see reality
The cotton candy dawning clouds
Turn stormy gray.
The breeze that eases all the doubt and fear
Grows into a howling gale

Deafened by the clarion call of duty
The cries of broken little birds
Cannot be heard.
The words that float on images of grace and beauty
Remain unwritten.

Stunted by the evil of aphasia
The verses that could have lived forever
Lie entangled on the tablet.
The Laurel wreath that had my name on it
Lies now withered on the floor.
                  ljm

Lawrence Hall, HSG
Mhall46184@aol.com

                                             You are not a Banana

                                  Sticker Not, Lest Ye be Stickered

A banana bears a sticker to say it is a banana
(The banana, that is, not the paper sticker)
Even though a banana is obviously a banana
(It has a yellow skin and some squashy stuff inside)

If we take the banana sticker from the banana
And stick the ticker to a tomato
The tomato is not then a banana
However much someone claims it so

Sticking sticky stickers to humans is also wrong
A man is himself; a woman is herself
If we stick a sticky sticker to a human
As a joke, well, that’s just a bit of fun

But if as a judgement then we are false witnesses

Stickers, nothing but stickers, excuses
Failures of intellect, truth, and caritas
Stickers are two-dimensional; they have no depth
Stickers are useless even on bananas

We are brothers and sisters, not bananas