War of the Worlds: A poem by Marc McGovern

Editor’s Note: Marc McGovern is a PRO constituent with Parkinson’s. After mentioning that he often turns to art like poetry to cope with his Parkinson’s anxiety and depression, we asked him to share. He graciously submitted this poem about the otherworldly experience of sharing his body with a disease like Parkinson’s. 

I have a tremor

You may have noticed it

An unruly child

In need of attention

I’d beat him if I thought 

it would do any good

I would make him wait for me

outside the car

He is a hideous child

Deformed in the womb

by toxins unknown

Between you and me, I don’t

think he’s mine. Instead, he

comes from a laboratory or

maybe he’s not of this earth 

An invader from Planet X

The first wave of attack sent to

weaken our first line of defense

Those poets, stargazers, and dreamers

Weak old men who won’t put up

much of a fight