the man milling near the lamp post
feet shuffling slowly, phone in hand
lifts the cigarette to his lips
the cancerous thing
the smoke and the fire and the phone call
diagnosis: cancer
the gauges in his ears
drag him downward
to the dust
brown hair and scruffy beard
soon disappear under the smell of
hospital disinfectant
glasses and phone on bedside table
he sleeps, and who knows
what could happen soon, under
bitter taste of anaesthesia, the lung transplant
he will be dead, soon
inevitable, doctors say in whispers
imaginary family and friends cry for him
as they lift cigarettes to their lips
Srishti Ramesh is 15 years old and a sophomore in high school. She enjoys reading and writing, especially young adult literature. She also loves music, mostly hip-hop/rap and rock. She lives in Voorhees, New Jersey with her family and an unfortunate lack of pets.