On 9/11 I was in a nearby office building
I did not see the planes hit
but sure heard and felt them
everything trembled
I trembled

Later, I was outside getting lunch
when the first building collapsed
a poisonous white cloud
raced towards me
I ran but not fast enough
and the white death dust covered me

The next day I stayed home
but then the government said
everyone should go back to work
the economy should keep moving
it is good for business

So I returned to work
and did my part for business
but I breathed some more
breathing was a mistake
it would have been okay
if only I had not breathed

Now I have lung cancer
and breathing is hard
I want to scream
when I scream at the liars
at the terrorists I voted for
I can’t breath afterwards
it feels good to scream

Now I buy medicine
to keep me alive
a few more years, or months
no one knows
but the medicine I buy–
it’s good for business

Victor Schwartzman lives in Winnipeg. He mostly writes fables and poetry, but also runs the book review socially conscious poetry sections at Outsider Writers (www.outsiderwriters.org). Read other posts by Victor Schwartzman.