Four Brief Poems About Being Sick and Talking

I misunderstood your email
and moped for a week and got
sick, sick, sick. Now you're coming
over on Thursday and my room
is a mess and I don't know
if I'll be able to keep from
coughing all over you.

-

I owe mom a call.
I owe mom a call and
I don't know if I'm going
to call her soon because I'm sick
and talking stresses me out.

-

My broom-headed friend tells me,
"When you're sick you lose the
strength to carry on, even in
your bad habits." Imagine that!
Even mistakes, even inadvertent
mistakes, take strength.

-

My voice was Grand Canyon deep
for two days, but it was clear.
Now that I'm getting better
it's filling up with gravel again.