Preexisting conditions
started in whispers

The world had a new villain
spreading quickly, mysteriously
but we were told not to worry
for it was only harmful to those
– drop your voice now, to sound tactful –
with preexisting conditions

With the first deaths
on American soil
each news story made sure to note
the real reason they actually died:
preexisting conditions

We were told it was only
they very old
and the very sick
that needed to be concerned
and I thought to myself
but shouldn’t that concern everyone?

We were told again and again
only a small fraction of the population
should be worried
and that worried me
how little we all seemed to care about protecting them

Preexisting conditions!
I was lectured by more than one Christian
That’s who have to be worried here
Those are the people at risk

They are not we
So why should we care?

I struggled to find
a soft place to land
in the face of their callousness
a way to explain
that we were talking abut me

For it wasn’t only
the very old
or the very sick
it was also
the very unlucky

those of us
like me
with preexisting conditions Read More