One bad apple

I had a nightmare one night
Of a disease I couldn't fight
Laying in a bed in the ER
Doc's were puzzled; my case was bizarre.

I ended up with a hospital stay
Laying on my back, most of the day
Muscles eroding from disuse
All they would give me was apple juice.

Doctors tried hard, nurses nice too
In general tried to help, a caring crew.
Then I heard a nasty laugh somewhere near
I'd heard that laugh before, I was filled with fear.

Just a bad apple, one bad employee
Could give the wrong meds, to make a mess of me
Still in the dream I wished I never came
Grabbed my light saber, turned on the flame.

The force was with me, so I jumped out of bed,
In a dream you can transition from almost dead
I raced down the hall, IV tube came loose
Flew out the window, escaped the revenge noose.

I folded white wings, landed on a  hill
Feeling young again, all by power of will
Then I woke up, I was in a nursing home
A year immobile, a year alone.

That was a dream too, two levels to escape
Pretended I was a marathoner, that got me awake.
But it raises a question, society needs trust
Just one bad apple, and it could be dust to dust.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2026

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