Statistically Speaking
April is not the cruelest month. We know
what records of mortality convey:
in January the greatest number go.
From June through late September, death rates slow,
and suicide most often peaks in May.
April is not the cruelest month, we know.
Diseases rise when temperatures are low.
Flu and pneumonia carry hordes away
in January. The greatest number go
in months most known for freezing rain and snow.
Deaths peak near New Year’s Day. It’s safe to say
April is not the cruelest month. We know
that March’s deaths are second highest, though
its Ides are not especially known to slay.
In January the greatest number go.
December’s deaths rank third. The records show
that Christmas Eve is quite a deadly day.
April is not the cruelest month, we know.
In January the greatest number go.