ANTI-SMOKING POETRY-1

THE STICK OF DEATH a poem in honor of World No Tobacco Day 2001 by Dr. Ima-Obong A. Ekanem President, Nigerian Cancer Society You may not know what harm there is In that short stick of cigarette For therein lies those toxic fumes Which cause many premature deaths. Over the years as people consume Tobacco leaves in various forms They smoke and chew or snuff them too But lo, the harm slowly is done. Women and men whether young or old Surely will pay dearly with time For cough and breathlessness untold Will cause their death early in life. Too late it is to stop and think As death from cancer takes its toll The lungs, throat or mouth will stink When cancer cells destroy them all. Why not give up your smoking friendekanem@unical.anpa.net Or do not even start yet For life and money do not pretend You will enjoy without the stick of death. Dedicated to those whose lives are threatened by the environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in Nigeria. All correspondences should go to: ekanem@unical.anpa.net.ng