Superstitions *a free verse poem***

Of course, it goes without saying that you should not be superstitious.

You are, after all, hearing this from an atheist who believes in God

But is still an atheist because anything you cannot verify by evidence is superstition.

For instance, your mother probably stressed when you were growing up,

You should wait at least an hour after eating lunch before going into the pool…

Or in the ocean, the Iowa River, or the roped-off area of the lake for designated swims…

Because you will get a cramp and curl up in a pretzel pose and drown to death.

But studies using science show that this is foofy nonsense… a superstition.

Still, you do it the way your mother said because she loved you and was always

Looking for ways to keep you from drowning or any other kind of random death.

Or another example is the way that Mickey always capitalizes the beginning of each line

Even if it starts in the middle of a sentence which is against basic sentence rules.

Which he does because this is not just a glob of nonsense sentences… 

It is allegedly a free-verse poem.

So, Superstitions are something you do because it is a habit or a false belief

That gives you comfort somehow… Even if it is only feeding an obsession.

So, don’t get me started on avoiding the number 13. Because you know about the Knights Templar

And the terrible things that happened to them on the 13th of the month on a Friday in 1307 A.D.

Even though you know you have no gold and treasure coveted by the King of France

You are still wary of all instances of the number 13 intruding on your life.

Wait a minute… are you unsure whether you know what the heck Mickey means? 

Well, you are fortunate enough to live in the computer and internet age… You can Google it.