I cannot, by worrying
add a cubit to my stature
but standing tall, versus slouching
gives me a good 2 inches
Nor can I, by worrying
add a single hour to the span of my life
maybe not one hour exactly
but there are plenty of choices I can make
that put me on track
for years more of health
this is what
I tell myself
I could choose now
to start smoking, but
is the fact that I don't
to my credit?
or to that of my parents
and their parents
and their church
and and and
I could choose now
(I imagine)
to start worrying
and I tell myself
that the reason I don't
is that I've decided
"I'm not about that life"
but is it more
that I've been spared trauma
abandonment, betrayal
is it more that, to me
life has been kind