Of course, I should look

Of course, I should look

After my health

The clinicians

Care so much that

They send texts and reminders

With recommendations

Either for a blood test

Or to take tablets

Attend a dentist

An optician

The hearing clinic.

All are as bad as each other

Profiteering

Enjoying a tipple

At lunchtime

One more than they should

Nobody should have their hands

Anywhere near my mouth

After a sherbet or two

Unless by invitation

I guess they must gargle

Suck on mint imperials

But nobody should get so close

You can feel their breath

On your skin

And ask you to pay

For the privilege.

Unless, at night in a hotel

Maybe,

If that is your thing

But even then

If you can be arsed

To go to a motel

In the dead of night

When there is a hard frost

Or it is raining

You can go to the dentist

High on horse tranquiliser.

In public hospitals

They chain sanitiser

To the counter

In their waiting rooms

To dissuade winos

From stealing it.

There but for the grace of god

It is too easy to judge

Harder to be even-handed

Better to try

Than not.

The older you get

The more expensive

It is to stay alive

It’s a wonder the founding

Fathers

In the States

Didn’t see a future

Where it might be beneficial

To make it constitutionally

Unlawful

To curtail life

Because of the expense

In maintaining it.

Divine right

Seems to stretch only as far

As being able

To carry the means to end it.