Danger

When I am an old man, I shall wear tin foil
with a swimsuit that doesn't go, and creeps up.
And I shall spend my savings on crank and shower caps
and forks, and say we've no money for tea.
I shall lie down in the food court
and eat from dumpsters and howl at strangers
and walk naked along the avenues
and make up for the bad thoughts in my head.
I shall go out in my helmet in the snow
and dig in other people's gardens
and spit at cats.

You can wear a kilt and forgo bathing
and eat three heads of cabbage at a go
or only Tic Tacs and nickels for a week
and hoard liver and gunpowder and iodine and things in coffins.

But now we must wear clothes
and take our medicine and not swear at trees
and stay away from the children.
We must have meat for dinner and scream at the television.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear tin foil.

Thanks for the inspiration, K.O.