Mister Can You Spare...

i bet there’s
a spare
ventilator or two

hidden away
in a closet
somewhere

close
to the white
house

top-of-the-line
cadillac of a
ventilator

sparkly
and
new

maybe still
in original
packaging

made a
long while
ago

by
medical
manufacturers

tested and
with a stamp
of approval

not
rushed into
production

by a patriotic
auto shop
or

an
altruistic
vacuum maker

i bet it’s
sterilized
covered in plastic

in storage
just in
case

reserved
for the ‘leaders’
who delayed

response
to the infamous
virus

i bet if
they
got sick

their
nurses and doctors
would have

hand
sanitizer
gowns gloves

masks that
aren’t
home made

that
don’t
get re-used

well-rested
medical staff not
overtired or overworked

i bet there’s
a spare
ventilator or two

that’s not
available
for general use

i bet it’s
not for you or
your aunt

or me or
my father
or my cousin

or the
guy on
the street

who has
no job and no
insurance

do you think
they will
loan it

to your
sick loved
one

when
they
need it

i wouldn’t
bet
on it

i bet
there’s a spare
hospital bed or two

reserved for
 ‘important’
people

not
available
to

the less-fortunate
citizens
who

voted
for
them

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