Impossible To Restrain Decay Poem by Charles Chaim Wax

Max Feld entered
the Teacher’s Center
angry, face red
ready for action
“Bernstein
you’re the union rep.”
I nodded by head Yes
as I stared at Max Feld
neck bulging
veins popping.
“I don’t like looking
at another man’s crap.”
“Who does? ” I said gently
trying to relax the man
but on he went,
“Walk in
there it is
and I know
who done it
and I’m gonna
do something about it.”
“Who? ” I whispered
in the softest voice I could
and still be heard.
“Alvin Bondy.”
“The man’s 74
with advanced
prostrate cancer—
he’ll be dead soon.”
The words
cracked
his skull
as if he’d been hit
with a baseball bat,
mouth opening
gasping for air
fingers on his right
hand trembling
“My old man
croaked from that, ”
he muttered
a few tears
sliding
down his cheek.
When he left
I wondered
if I’d done the right thing
but a union rep
gotta keep the peace
among fellow workers
the truth being
Alvin Bondy was
slowly losing
his mind:
Alzheimer’s.