Diana Darby ** "I V" ** Intravenous

Give Peace A Chance

Today
I know the peace of Valium,
the soft tranquil feeling of numbness.
The kind that makes me smile at my neighbors
and be mellow about the arrival of Thanksgiving
and what time my boyfriend comes home.
Now
I know what all the fuss is about.
This little blue pill
is a slice of pecan pie.
It’s golden.
It should be in every medicine cabinet
in America.
Readily available
for every stressed out mother,
father,
teacher,
cop,
soldier
and music reviewer.
It should be handed out like those samples
of pineapple they give out at the grocery store.
Think how much nicer
everyone would be to each other.
No more fighting over parking spaces
or screaming at sales clerks.
Just blank stares
and smiles.
No wonder my father has been able
to put up with my mother
all these years.