Still I Smoke

by Sylvia   Oct 19, 2010


(Written as a reminder of why I must quit.)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, (COPD for short),
Asthma, Bronchitis, Emphysema all parts of thee.
Still I smoke that cigarette.

Inhalers day and night, oxygen next.
Cost a fortune each payday just to breathe.
Still I smoke that cigarette.

Up the steps, can't breathe.
walk, don't run, can't breathe.
Still I smoke that cigarette.

Cold air hurts your lungs, inhale through your nose,
purse your lips, exhale, can't breathe.
Still I smoke that cigarette.

Smoke stinks, yellow stains everywhere,
lingers in the air, can't get rid of the smell.
Still I smoke that cigarette.

Lungs ache, cough, expel the phlegm.
Air sacs all black, veins and arteries blocked.
Still I smoke that cigarette.

It is not a question of will it kill me,
the question is when.
Still I smoke that cigarette.

Sound gross, I sincerely hope so.
I hope it scares you to death so you never start.
Hypocrite I am, still I smoke that cigarette.

Copyright © 2009 Sylvia All Rights Reserved

NOTE: The smoke from a cigarette contains more than 4000 chemicals, which could have various toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. The content and concentration of chemical ingredients can vary widely from one brand or type of cigarette to the next.

Here is a list of just a few of the chemicals:
Acetone
Ammonia
Arsenic
Benzene
Butane
Cadmium
Carbon dioxide tar
Carbon Monoxide
Cyanide
Chloroform
DDT Dieldrin
Ethenol
Formaldehyde
Hydrogen cyanide
Lead
Methanol
Nicotine
Vinyl Chloride

    report violation
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Latest Comments

  • 14 years ago

    by Jim McMillen the man within

    There are poems of beauty , poems of pain
    Poems of love & poems of nature . But here my friend you have touched on my favorite one of all ! Poems of Purpose. They give peotry in motion to life itself & lend beauty to truth & you have penned this one so amazingly well I can't help but nominate it for the contest & add it to my favorites list.
    Thank you so much for sharing this one with us all. 5/5 ...Jim

  • 14 years ago

    by Jess

    Great poem 5/5!
    I Really Enjoyed The Creativity!
    Keep Writing!
    Will You Please Rate And Comment One Of My Poems Too?
    Thanks And Great day To You!
    -Jessi.

  • 14 years ago

    by Rania

    And still I smoke, I've tried everything, this is the hardest addiction to quit. Still the damage is done and I keep lighting up !!!

  • 14 years ago

    by kelleyana

    Sometimes even the fact we knew something is not good for us, we find it hard to abondoned it. I have had temptations many times to start smoking, but i find other ways to ease it. I think it is very hard to quit, but little by little, if you cut down on your daily use then it's the first step. Unhealthy habit is something we can't help, and if we are force to do, then we might returned to our same old self. After all life without temptation is only an imitation of living. Seeing someone smoking is soo contagious.

  • 14 years ago

    by NightFlyer

    Excellent poem, Sylvia. I thankfully don't smoke, but I lived in a household where everyone smoked profusely. Their smoke would make my eyes water, and people around me would say that I smelled like cigarettes. Your poem is an eye-opener to a very unhealthy habit, so hard to break.

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