20 long years...
for that length of
a burning cigarette,
I surrounded myself
with a cloud of
menthol carcinogens,
or some other flavour
of smoky seduction.
I rolled my own death
in wafer-thin paper,
extinguishing a burning candle
all to a haunting Drum beat,
inhaling with fear,
exhaling with purported
relief.
We were Players,
all the cool kids in
this game of life...
even Dads and Moms
took their turns at
the pipe.
Surgeons in general said it was
bad, they even gave us free
pictures on flimsy cardboard.
But we still drove our muscle
cars, loud music forcing smoke
out of open windows,
pulsing to beats of 80's music...
we were the heads, greasers,
even the jocks and brains
fell for the lure of false bravado.
Nobody was impressed.
Today's age comes with wisdom,
knowing of the frailty of life,
even one not scarred by active
participation.
Lungs heal slowly,
whereas the nose never forgets
the stench
of second hand
smoke.