It can be simple as

by Marc Swan

sweeping the front porch

in early summer 

after rain has blown in leaves and debris

and you bang your head

on a metal gong swinging

loosely over the doorstep

Your physician takes x-rays 

discovering two small tumors 

in the frontal lobe

which is confusing 

No headaches   no sharp pains 

and mental lapses you attribute to age

which leads to a referral 

to Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center

an hour drive from Alexandria Bay

to Syracuse then a four-hour bus ride

for three days of tests 

in the heart of New York City

including trephining 

into the cranium

drawing a small amount of tissue 

resulting in a second trip to the City

for further testing and a treatment plan

The short answer— 

without that metal gong strike 

where would you be now

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