ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

SUCKED IN BY THE DRAG QUEEN.
Maureen Clifford © The #ScribblyBark Poet


I work here in the city amongst high rise concrete towers
that have nicely landscaped gardens, where one can spend lunch hours
midst the graceful trees and blossoms, where the birds come down to feed
on the crumbs left by the lunchtime crowds – such hungry avian greed.

But there's other litter left there that is not so nice to see
and the laziness of litterers always amazes me.
For in every landscaped garden - once so neat and so pristine
are the detritus of smokers – cigarette butts so obscene.

The stench is overpowering, nicotine and diesel fumes
that it takes all the enjoyment from these lovely garden rooms.
For these smokers toss their fag ends with impunity it seems
and the gardens now are just the biggest ashtrays you have seen.

I remonstrated sharply once when out getting fresh air
with a young bloke who finished his smoke, and left the fag end there.
“Perhaps Mate you could pick it up and put it in the bin”
and he looked at me and glared as if 'twas I committed sin.

“I have a right to smoke you know” he told me with a leer,
that indicated he thought I had no right to be here.
“The likes of you won't stop me, why don't you mind your own business”
“Oh I will mate once I've said my piece but Mate I haven't finished.

Let me ponder for a while and I'll get back to you tomorrow
if you're game enough to be here, and it might be to your sorrow.
For I might look old and foolish but I've been around the tracks,
so let's meet for lunch tomorrow Son and we'll sort out the facts.

*****

If you want to smoke please go ahead it matters not to me
if you kill yourself by smoking, after all it's your money
that you're wasting, so why should I care if you go up in smoke
I'm sure you know what you're doing - you seem a smart young bloke.

But to be fair I have to say it is a two way street
and think it not too much to ask that you keep the place neat.
Put your buts into the garbage tins, don't throw them all about
and when you've finished smoking just be sure the smoke is out.

And when you get to my age, if you do, and you get crook -
don't expect others to help you out – don't start to whinge and sook
that you've got cancer of the throat , the larynx and the tongue
for you're the one who made the choice to smoke when smart and young.

And don't whinge loud and often about how you have no dough
to buy a house, a flash new car, or holidays, or clothes,
and how it costs so much these days to educate your kids
when your habit's cost thousands , and burn it up you did.

Don't cry about the taxes that they take out of your pay.
When you get crook no doubt you'll want the Government to say
'she'll be right, don't worry for we'll care and give you money
for the emphysemas got you and you now can't work.' That's funny.

If you're banned from nightclubs, bistros, public transport, malls and bars
as a smoker, well that's tough but then again, how far
have some people come, it seems at last they've finally got the plot
and realized smoking is linked to ill health. But you Mate seems have not.

So light up a fag Mate go ahead, I'll not stand in your way
but show some respect for others as you pollute every day.
I enjoy the open spaces and fresh air I like to breath
so if you can't play fair old mate then I suggest you up and leave'

He looked at me with some respect at least I think it was
and he put his butt into the bin and that - well that's a plus.
But I doubt that I'd converted him to being a non smoker
but at least he now might understand the card he holds is Joker.

Brilliant Maureen. You didn't pull your punches. Love the title too.
Wazza

Good description there Maureen. I could see the scene clearly.

I heard a funny (true) story a while back. A tourist guide was giving a group of Japanese tourists a guided tour of Melbourne - and the tourists commented on the high quality prostitutes outside most city buildings. They were women outside having a smoke!

It's easy to criticise those that smoke but I always remember that it is an addiction and an extremely hard drug to quit. I've heard it is harder than heroin. It's a horrible habit that people often take up in their youth and they are captured. Some don't want to quit, others can't.

Heather

Oh dear Maureen, remind me not to upset you in such a way that I cop a sermon. Sinners beware

No sermons from me Neville or Heather - many years ago I was a smoker - and I hold with the idea that you can do what the hell you like as long as it doesn't infringe on my rights and you have respect for others. You can drink, smoke, do drugs, have illicit sex and gamble - I don't care, but once your choices start to impact negatively on me or others then watch out because I will have a hissy fit and a bloody big one.

This poem was sparked by sitting outside my workplace (new) in an area of lovely landscaped gardens (new) put there as a pleasant place in the city rush and bustle for the workers to enjoy a bit of sun, have a coffee, eat their lunch etc. It was truly impressive and expensively done. Really nice ....but within a matter of weeks, every garden bed was covered in cigarette butts, the plants were dying from nicotine poisoning and the whole place might as well have been a squalid back alley somewhere nasty. And all of this because the smokers in the surrounding buildings came out for their smoke and used it as a gigantic bloody ash tray - despite the fact that there were rubbish bins a plenty in the park area. So just their selfishness and laziness an lack of respect for others changed something lovely into something horrible, not only in appearance but also in smell....and yes I did have more than one rant at people about it. It really got right up my nose in more ways than one.

The other thing was working for a health fund I saw in real terms the actual costs involved in paying for the hospital bills associated with these habits. If you have ever whinged and who hasn't at the cost of your health insurance you might ask how much is paid out by the funds for treatment for conditions caused by such habits eg drug abusers - months and months of treatment in facilities trying to wean them off drugs are commonplace, likewise alcohol abuse.

Those costs are passed on to all contributors as actuaries constantly juggle the cost factors. Believe me the money we pay for our Health Insurance is small bickies in the grand scheme of things when your health insurers are paying upwards of $25,000 per event for a couple of weeks in rehab. A lung transplant costs in excess of $120,000 , a heart transplant around $140,000, coronary bypass around $40,000 ...

Yes, smoking has awful consequences Maureen. On a bright note, less young people are taking it up so hopefully all those health statistics will start to go down in the future.

I used to smoke but when they said they wanted to CUT me open to have a look at why I was coughing up blood I stopped.



I was asked once Did I smoke after sex but I had to say I never looked ?


Bob

Oh I reckon you would be one pretty hot tamale Robere

Choke!

Bloody good joke though hey !



Bob