Anatomy and Physiology

The dollar deposits a nickel
as it leaves the left ventricle into
the aorta, bribes the white cells
with a quarter and smug smile,
transits the ascending arch,
then descends to the lungs, where
it leaves another nickel
in the left middle lobe and
continues on confidently to
the alveolar capillaries, where
it diffuses ten cents and moves
on, assured, to the diaphragm,
which demands, “Fifteen cents.”
“That’s outrageous,” says the dollar,
“how far can I get on forty cents?”
“Take it or leave it,” says the diaphragm.
So he pays and angrily continues on to
the stomach, who barks, “Twenty cents.”
“That’s highway robbery,” he screams.
“Times are tough,” replies the stomach,
“I have a body to feed.”
“All right,” says the dollar, defeated,
“guess I’ll grab a bus and head home.”
He finds the nearest vein,
grabs the first red cell that passes,
“That’ll be twenty cents.”
He pays and sinks sadly
into a seat near the back.
He gets off at the inferior vena cava,
knocks wearily on the red valve:
“That’s twenty-five cents.”
“But I’m broke,
I don’t have any more money.”
“That’s too bad,” replies the heart
and stops.