*Laurie Kolp Poetry*

Fear of Swine Flu
by Laurie Kolp

We swarm like
bees to a hive;
a mad dash
to get in line,
beat the rush, the wait
knowing Monday morning
at the doctor's office
we can't be late.

Chaos ensues, as crazy as
a New York subway,
as we try to
comfort our sick
children nestled in our laps-
has it been hours now?
Coughs and sneezes
shower the air with
germs. Fear
abounds as we
wonder if anyone
is there with
the Swine flu, in
hopes we will
escape that onus
somehow.