I.V. Waltz
The I.V. Waltz
The morphine on your breath
Could make a grown man dizzy.
His hands on my shoulders,
he helps to lift himself up.
I.V. stand, maypole ribbons
of tube and power cord.
We step, step, stop, step, step,
steady, our way to the toilet,
rolling the stand after us.
He can sit up on his own,
I give him a moment.
Snap on surgical gloves,
gently clean him.
Reverse our papa waltz,
lay him down to rest.
Trying to look busy,
listening for his death.
-Gary Glazner
Christmas Time for Marc Smith
The Poetry Slam at the Green Mill, Sunday, 12/17/2023
In 2022 Marc Smith (So What!) founder of the Poetry Slam made a miraculous recovery from a serious accident. I reworked Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmas Time is Here," as a tribute to Marc.