In the 80’s, the US Center for Disease Control sent germs to an Iraqi chemical and biological weapons complex, called Al-Muthanna.

Germ Transfers

I draw the curtains as the sky goes black.
Messages flicker in candlelight and
reflect in hot drops of wax.

To avoid germ transfers:

We flush public toilets with our feet.
Doctors wash hands between patients,
Dentists change gloves between teeth.

Iraqi lust was stronger, two decades ago.
We sent anthrax, botulinum toxin and
West Nile virus.

We reap what we sow.

Al-Muthanna, you called it legitimate
scientific exploration, then centrifuged our trust
into a paralyzing poison.

© Carrie Spadter, 2000. All rights reserved.