As World War I’s grueling progress killed,
Another killer stalked its prey more silently,
Infecting 500 million globally, its will
Reaped the lives of 50 million, easily.
It is now believed to have begun around
The year 1915 in North America.
Carried to Europe’s war fronts, it stunned
The young! Media limited word of its spread
By agreement – to maintain ‘morale’ during war,
While Spain (which was neutral) reported its … dead.
The name, ‘Spanish flu’ – was that what the young ‘died for?’
It was exacerbated by aspirin’s emergence – ‘business acumen’
That prescribed high doses as curative when it was anything but,
As the virus changed, as cultural harms were wrought.
June Edvenson 