look both ways

before crossing.
nothing is safe.
there would be
no news if that
wasn't true.
there would be
no paper on
the front stoop,
or headline,
or blurb to pause
and say, oh my.
no red scroll
with a warning
on the evening news.
it's in the water,
it's the flea
on your dog, it's
your neighbor, your
kids, the heat
and snow. danger
lurks everywhere.
it's a persistent
fog. don't look back.