To Those Worried About My Health

To Those Worried About My Health

Now and again I receive an email
from an acquaintance or stranger
who has read on my blog about
the habits of my diet
and been taken aback by
how unhealthy it is
therefore taking the time to write
and set me straight.

I'm always insulted.
Of course I know my diet
is medically incorrect!
I'm not an idiot.

Say what?
I eat an unhealthy diet
on purpose?

Yep!

I'm 74 years old
I can live (and die)
on ice cream if I choose.

Look,
I'd rather have scrapple
for daily breakfast for one year
than live three years without
etc. etc. etc.

But you are shortening your life!
you say.

Yep!
No big deal.

I have no kids to rescue
no grandkids to spoil.
My archive is quite large enough.
I see no advantage to living
longer and, in fact,
some advantage
to passing sooner:

I'll miss some horror of
our dying empire.
I'll miss the worst
of Nature's revenge.

And I'll have the market
advantages of being
a dead writer.

So I appreciate your concern
but I damn well know
what I'm doing.

Pass the pecan pie.