Blood Donation

It took the nurse three tries to find a vein.
“I think I’ll get it this time: want to try?”
One unit can be worth three people’s lives,
what could I say? It’s just a little pain.

With both arms bruised and daubed in iodine,
and wrapped in colored tape for decoration,
they gave me cookies for recuperation
and orange juice like sacramental wine.

They tell you blood is life: a metaphor
that’s far too real to face from day to day.
But if you’ve blood to spare, they could use more:
and someone’s life might just be yours to give
back to their family on this holiday.
My present to the world: O-positive.