The Sign On The Door Poem by Harry Bryant

THANK YOU FOR NOT SMOKING said the sign on the door,
the words that followed, I'll remember forever more,
'I was a smoker, just puffing away,
I swore I'd keep puffing, till my dying day,
I had heard about cancer, emphysema and such,
but, I wasn't worried and didn't care very much,
then I started to cough, just a little at first,
soon I was having that big coughing burst,
I'd spit up those clunkers, so black and so grey,
but I'd keep on puffing, till my dying day,
I went to the doctor to get some relief,
he said 'stop smoking, nicotine is a thief,
it steals your breath from you, a little each day,
keep on smoking, you surely will pay',
I had to stop smoking cause I'd lose my breath,
but I kept on smoking, even though it meant death,
first came the inhaler to get me some air,
I found out first hand, nicotine doesn't care,
just who it robs of the air that we breathe,
it will soon get you, this I really believe,
next came the oxygen tank, to be carried around,
still I'd keep on puffing, till I'm in the ground,
then one night while dreaming, of how it used to be,
when I was much younger and nicotine free,
I could run and play without losing my breath,
I just had to stop smoking to keep away death',
I decided to quit, just to see if I could,
it was a hard thing to do, but I'm doing quite good,
now I am smoke free, and don't cough anymore,
I thank you, my sister, for that sign on your door,
it started thoughts spinning around in my head,
if I didn't quit soon, I would quickly be dead,
so read these words over, then read them again,
and know in your heart, they come from a friend,
us used to be smokers, can be such a boor,
but, THANK YOU FOR NOT SMOKING, is the sign on MY door