Word is, the demise of HIV
May come sooner than believed
Its knack to disguise and adapt
The undoing, its fatal crack
This would have come someday
So they say, I guess time flies
Not for those who die of course
But for the larger pie
To be clear and not lie, I thought
It was gone for all we hear
Till last Mass it came time to pass
The basket to a visiting priest
Who to my surprise preached HIV
Was fully alive and seemed well
He runs a clinic and he tries
But needs help so he brought a guy
Who was thankful, even despite
Having gotten the disease,
That people care, God’s aware
And please, please keep it coming
Father must have spies and know
It’s evolved, no need to cry
Less deadly as time goes by
So just wait, tempt fate
Too late HIV, you missed us
We’re gone, we have moved on
But why if Father’s so wise
Doesn’t he recognize
It’s almost done, nearly won
Just keep me apprised
HIV's ability to cause AIDS is weakening over time, study finds
E R Olsen writes poetry and practices law in Nevada, where he and his wife raised their four children. His poems have appeared in several U.S. journals and magazines, including the Naugatuck River Review.
