Originally posted 12/19/2009.

I crossed the road,
punk,
because it was there.

You bought that rationale
when someone said it
in reference to Everest

and you bought it when
Philippe Petit 
walked between the Towers

so I can only conclude
that it’s because I’m a chicken
and you’re prejudiced

that you keep
cracking wise
about why I did it. 

Lemme tell you something:
I enjoy risk
as much as the next bird.

I wasn’t waiting around
to become soup
or Sunday dinner.

I’ll go on my own terms,
and that road held as good a chance
as anything did of killing me.

I made it across, but the attempt
is what counts.
I took a chance.  I will again.

Think of that
next time you gnaw
on a drumstick:

you are what you eat.
You can laugh all you want at that.
You’ll still never eat me.