A man, disgusted with
the state of medical care
in America,
emptied the clip of his
uzi into the belly
of a doctor.
The doctor studied at
Princeton and Harvard.
Lived in Pasadena.
Worked in an East LA clinic
because he wanted to.
So the nurse screamed
and fainted,
the patients
(having seen death
stained in maroon across
a wall before)
went home slowly, and I,
having just awakened from a nap,
I heard the news
on public radio,
in an announcement interrupting
a Duke Ellington tribute,
and wrote about it
shamelessly and
dutifully.
© 1993, 1994 Wayne Pitcher
