470 ml

 
I guess I’ve been pro-life all this time
I ponder while I sit in this chair and wait
Waiting for them to take my blood pressure
To see if I’m going to be able to donate

A nurse approaches the woman next to me
With a trophy like she’s about to be dubbed
It’s a license plate holder she can display
That reads “The 16 Gallon Club”

“Congratulations” I tell her, “it’s an achievement”
I can see she smiled underneath her mask
She’d been donating for over twenty years
Giving consistently must be quite the task

We chatted for a few minutes there
But I was in true admiration of her discipline
And I thought about how her good deeds
Make for decent humans and modest citizens

Unfortunately, my blood pressure was too high
I was very disappointed I couldn’t donate
I have to lay off the caffeine and salt intake
And in a couple of weeks, I should be great

I thought about that nice lady at the blood bank
How folks dedicated to giving seem more balanced
And I as drive home a bit sad I am also hopeful
That by next Christmas I will reach three gallons