i was in san francisco
for seventeen minutes
and i got so worried
that i could not write a poem
for three weeks.

but today i listened to
pavarotti singing nessun dorma
and when he sang vincerò
i fully recovered
and wrote this poem.

i wish i was a mother
at least for few minutes
so i can enjoy loving my kids
like a mother

if i just had
20 minutes of free time
i could
mentally prepare for death.

but i do not have
20 minutes of free time
so i live
in constant fear of death.

why do i need
to brush my teeth
three times a day
three minutes each time?

why not
two times a day
for one minute?

what is gained
with extra one time a day
and with two extra minutes per brushing?

today
evil is very smart
it can hide in plain sight
and hurt billions of people
and no one will see it
but those who suffer.

if we do not learn to listen
to those who suffer
then we will believe
that we are safe
and that there is no evil
and that we did nothing wrong.

this is why
i recommend
that we listen to those who suffer
at least three minutes every day.
this should be very easy
because almost everyone suffers.

i am not brave enough
to wait in supermarket lines
without internet and alone
because
then i get few minutes
without distractions
and i remember
that i will soon die

arghgh
ashasgahsga
ghgrrgghh
ghhhgarg
grghgr

enter the twenty second century
with a guarantee that
government employees
will not choke people to death
for ten minutes
in broad daylight
in public places
anymore
at least.