Sign

Shameless self promotion:
A sign similar to the one above inspired my poem titled "Sign" The poem appeared in the anthology, Southern Light: Twelve Contemporary Poets (c) 2011. It has received strong audience response in numerous performance venues since, including a near perfect score resulting in a win in a poetry slam.  It is a performance poem and the repetition is intentional.
Sign

This message brought to you
by the Tennessee Valley Authority
by business,industry, and government
by progres, prosperity, and jobs

Mercury
Its an element 
Its a metal 
Its a liquid 
Its toxic.

Mercury
Its a capsule
;aimched into space
to splash down
in the Pacific Ocean

Alan Sheppard rode the first
Mercury capsule into space
splashed down
in the pages of history books

Tennessee River waters contain 
Mercury, 
not the space capsule, 
but the element, 
its a metal 
its a liquid 
its toxic.

Tennessee River fish contain 
Mercury, 
not the space capsule, 
but the element, 
its a metal 
its a liquid 
its toxic.

Pregnant women 
should not eat 
these fish.

Nursing mothers 
should not eat 
these fish.

Children 
should not eat 
these fish.

Adult males 
may eat 
these fish.

Women past childbearing age 
may eat 
these fish.

Elderly people 
are encouraged to eat 
these fish.

Homeless people 
are required to eat 
these fish.

That is all. 
Have a nice day.
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