the cacophony which woke me
from octopus tentacle dreams
this morning
was all last night’s pizza and soda
the way jackie gleason must have sounded vomiting
after a fifth of whiskey
and two-fisting ninth inning hot dogs
my twin sons
gargantuan
with 16 year old swagger
still little fellas when they’re sick
with the first stomach bug
of the new school year
it comes as regularly as the morning bus
this great yellow vector
the power of christ compelling me up the stairs to soothe foreheads and mop floors with holy water
my molly pitcher mantra becomes
feel better sweet babies
i am the calm center of the universe
fighting the good fight
leads me to the corner pharmacy
rather than cooking an unwanted breakfast
my meal
will be consumed whilst on this errand
far away from the contagion contained at home
chocolate pyramids
the toble of a toblerone bar
and diet 7 Up
a staple soda of the hyperemetic
every sip comes from the memory of my mother’s hands
i purchase
alkaseltzer
activated charcoal
cosmetic pink bismuth
ginger candy and ale
to soothe rumbling bellies
and my guilty pleasure
a new pack of pilot pens
the brand to which i remain loyal
after the expensive ones have seeped into the persian rug
a poem happened
in spite of all this
within the simple act
of writing it all down