The Year of What Now

I ask your doctor of infectious disease if she's read Williams   he cured sick babies I tell her and begin describing spring and all   she's looking at the wall now the floor   now your chart now the door   never heard of him she says but I can't stop explaining how important this is I need to know your doctor believes in the tenacity of nature to endure   I'm past his heart attack   his strokes   and now as if etching the tombstone myself   I find I can't remember the date he died or even the year   of what now are we the pure products   and what does that even mean   pure   isn't it obvious   we are each our own culture alive with the virus that's waiting to unmake us