“The Good Old Days“

I long for the uncomplicated day to day
living of not so long ago. The times when
I could enjoy chicken-fried steak
smothered in country gravy all
sitting next to a big pile of mashed potatoes
and not know that I was clogging
my arteries with killer gunk.

Give me back the evenings of martinis before
dinner without knowing that my liver will
discolor, shrivel, harden and eventually
do me in, unless I'm lucky enough
to receive a transplant that my body may reject.

How I crave those blissful days of summer
covered in Coppertone and basking in
the sun for hours on end not knowing
the big “C” could take up residence at any time
and the wrinkles could eventually make
me look like the queen of hags.

Smoking I enjoyed since a teen, thought it chic
and relaxing - who knew the end results
of all those years could be the inability to breathe
properly or once again the danger of the big “C”.

Give me back the good old days
I've lived a good and full life and if something
has to do me in early let it be two slices
of white bread filled liberally with
peanut butter and strawberry jam.