My Ode to Floater you thought was good
Unless I just misunderstood
So now I’ve brought another back
A rhyme about my cataract
They said I had a cataract
I thought they meant a car
My hearing’s not so good these days
For voices near or far
But then I learned a cataract
Is something in your eye
That messes up your vision
Like blackbirds do a pie
It makes those headlights sparkle
When you’re driving late at night
And creeps across your eyeball
Until it dims your sight
They said the thing should be removed
It would give me such relief
I asked them how that process works
Their answer was quite brief
They said we use a laser
To make a little cut
I said “To me that sounds ok,
A little cut on what?”
“On your eye!” was their retort
And looked at me in shock
That I was so naïve it seemed
That my brain must be a rock
Its not that I’m afraid to see
I’ll give most things a try
I’m just not sure I want to have
A laser cut my eye
I’ll contemplate the things they’ve said
And take it all in stride
And try to calm those butterflies
That flit around inside
But in the end I must admit
I’ll give them my reply
“I’m just getting way too old
To go cuttin’ on my eye”
So, if you have a cataract
It’s not a car of gold,
So get the dang thing cut away
Before you’re too dern old.
Ted Barton
2020
