2 thoughts on “Dem Funny Bones

  1. exterminators
    before her tiny needle
    pinches my protruding vein,
    the Red Cross blood drive nurse
    thanks me for volunteering.

    my type is rare,
    so hard to find that
    I offer my container of it
    when I die.

    she thanks me again,
    ecstatic about my fountain
    of bright red gallons
    until I say

    only for Palestinians

    and she checks my chart.
    but you’re Jewish…

    …and they refuse Jew blood
    I interrupt. she nods.

    …then offer it to Iraqis.
    she flinches.
    …or Iranians
    or Syrians
    or Egyptians

    or leave it unmarked
    for desperately needy victims
    of a Jewish bus bomber.

    she is pale and shaky;
    she misses her first stick.
    she mixes an apology with
    but there are no Jewish bus bombers.

    I roll down my sleeve,
    hand her my business card,
    offer to answer her call if it comes

    before the next Holocaust

    B.Koplen 11/1/05

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