Life’s Little Misdirections 🥀🦋

the blue amish

far from the doorway,
windows and ventilation systems
by the dumpster
in an alleyway, dim-lit,
they wear blue beards
like amish men --
some ladies with red dragons
clenched in teeth,
the white sticks
dart between drawn mouths
and their fingers they roll,
inhale these instruments.
they wear wise expressions,
examine a black vault.
brief billows
evaporate below
the lighted exit.
in no hurry, but tension
informs the clad feet
tap, tap, tapping
with excessive over-
postulating. their scrubs
won't be clean tonight.


https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/08/21/smoking-ban-va-hospitals-will-soo...


Original:

the blue Amish

far from the doorway,
windows and ventilation systems
by the dumpster
in an alleyway, dim-lit,
they wear blue beards
like Amish men --
some ladies with red dragons
clenched in teeth.
the white sticks
dart between drawn mouths
and their fingers they roll,
inhale these instruments,
don the wise expressions
examining a black vault.
brief billows
evaporate below
the lighted exit.
in no hurry, but tension
informs the clad feet
tap, tap, tapping
with excessive over-
postulating. Their scrubs
won't be clean tonight.


10.11.20

I wanted to make this about people who have to wear surgical masks at any work where there's a designated smoking area, a suggestion old habits die hard, even when the stakes are high during a pandemic. But, also know those in medical field, stressed, smoke for relief, though I doubt in scrubs would be allowed. So, I'll get more info to make this cohesive and will consider a poem with a regular work environment theme.