JOHNMICHAEL SIMON POETRY

Gorvitch is worried about his physician

who told his wife she was as healthy as a horse

then the following week she fell and broke her hip.

“Liar, fake, misogynist” he yelled after a consultation when

this imposter told Gorvitch not to worry about his ulcer,

to drink milk (but not after meat) not to neglect

his devotions, avoid black cats, walking under ladders

 

But Gorvitch worries

he worries about rising prices, about crooked politicians

yesterday another sex scandal was exposed

a rabbi was caught seducing young boys

things are on a downward spiral, thinks Gorvitch

you can’t trust anyone, surely judgment day approaches

he reads newspapers looking for clues to prove

that which he is already sure of, searches the Internet

aha – a huge comet is heading for our system, ozone layer

thinning, several species of rodents have become extinct,

a new virus, sunspots, salmonella, recalls Sodom and Gomorrah

 

Most of all Gorvitch worries about God

he wears a raincoat with a hood even in dry weather

hands covering head he hurries fearing retribution

for misdemeanors he’s perhaps forgotten.  Intellectually

Gorvitch doesn’t believe in God anymore; holocaust, wars,

disease, corruption, all point to a world devoid of divine

benevolence, whirling to  inevitable destruction

 

But he still repeats his morning prayers

hurries to synagogue on Sabbath in his raincoat

goes through the motions

he’s not taking any chances