Previous Poem  |  Return to the Poetry index page  |  Next Poem Anatomy and Physiology by Dennis McBride from Looking for Peoria: The Epicurean At Rest (1995) The dollar deposits a nickel as it leaves the left ventricle into the aorta, bribes the white cells with a quarter and smug smile, transits the ascending arch, then descends to the lungs, where it leaves another nickel in the left middle lobe and continues on confidently to the alveolar capillaries, where it diffuses ten cents and moves on, assured, to the diaphragm, which demands, “Fifteen cents.” “That's outrageous,” says the dollar, “how far can I get on forty cents?” “Take it or leave it,” says the diaphragm. So he pays and angrily continues on to the stomach, who barks, “Twenty cents.” “That's highway robbery,” he screams. “Times are tough,” replies the stomach, “I have a body to feed.” “All right,” says the dollar, defeated, “guess I'll grab a bus and head home.” He finds the nearest vein, takes the first red cell that passes: “That'll be twenty cents.” He pays and sinks sadly into a seat near the back. He gets off at the inferior vena cava, knocks wearily on the red valve: “That's twenty five cents.” “But I'm broke, I don't have any more money.” “That's too bad,” replies the heart and stops. Previous Poem  |  Return to the Poetry index page  |  Next Poem

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