The Pros and Cons of Cigarettes
Musical accompaniment: Haydn string quartet in C minor op. 17 no. 4 movement 4.
When you’re young, they’re something new —
they give your hands a task to do; and, then,
you’re looking so mondaine — just add a top
hat and a cane; they buzz a person pretty fast
— five minutes in, you’re flabbergast. Sure,
drinking hits you more profound but not as
quick, just ask around; the soothing of the
nerves, also the analytical gusto; they keep
your concentration strong, your train of
thought they will prolong; at least that’s how it
goes at first — it don’t take long to get
immersed. Besides to help you concentrate,
they’re efficacious to lose weight; suppressing
appetites sure hooks some people hung up on
their looks; and, then, there are folks who lean
t’ward just having smokes because they’re
bored; which is another way to say they need
‘em to get through the day.
They give you something of a break and
maybe help you stay awake; but when
you’re older you’re aware tobacco’s not
so debonair; the repetition does infer it’s
rather an empty succor; and then there is
the vulgar smell you qualify under its
spell; it’s true they help to calm you
down but notice how your teeth are
brown; your skin’s sallow and leathery
— you don’t exude salubrity. To get
addicted to a plant is rather most
inelegant; sure, it was lots of fun at first
but now the fun feels all coerced; and
every year it’s harder still to get your
breath to move uphill. You know they’re
going to kill you soon and that will be
inopportune; look at the mucus you eject
— it’s unrefined if left unchecked; your
lungs are gasping from the strain — that
smoking, sir, is quite the bane!