Whole countries engineering their own demise. Cities
of the dead. Houses of the dead. Individuals of the dead

yet to realize their part in that world. Vaccines.
I’m talking about vaccines. We can kill the killer.

So many murderers entombed behind Arkham’s walls.
The Red Spot. Mr. Mump. We give them cute names

because they take our children first and, not being cruel,
we don’t want to scare the children. Back then,

we died and we liked it. A shorter life enriched
the short life lived. A concentrate. A distillate.

Paralyzed by polio? Think of all the time to think!
O ignorant couple, so many children you have.

The better to survive us with. O ignorant couple,
so many graves you have. The better to populate

Heaven. There are some diseases without cure
and we’re not cruel. We don’t want them to be lonely.