My head feels like an overstuffed pepper.
Stiff stained starch spread over my eyes,

And very hard to open...hot! Burning hot.
With a nose full of stuff aptly named snot.
Ears full of dough, paining deep inside in need of relief.
Aching back, shoulders, knees, hips, neck. GOOD GRIEF!
Sleep! Oh I wish I could just roll over and sleep.
But my stomach keeps nagging me as I try to count sheep.

No, it's not Covid, but I'd feel better dead.
Just a bad cold, with a stuffed pepper head.

Thank you air for being there.
Thank you water for wetting things and drinking down the dryness that comes in waves when climate misbehaves.
Thank you fire for melting the marshmellows and heating my back.
Thank you earth for giving me onions and potatoes and carrots and beets and mushrooms and basketball players like Shaq.
Thank you God for the love in my heart.
Thank you Mom for kissing my ear, and
Thank you air for being there.

A tree, a tree!
He cried with glee,
Can I be up there as tall as that tree?

No! You can't! His father said, you will never be as high as that tree.

A tree, a tree the young man cried!
Can I get up as high as that tree?

"I doubt it." His young wife sighed. "You can never be as high as that tree.

A tree, a tree! Said the bearded man of 43. I want to be as high as that tree.
"No, thats impossible!" the man's neighbor yelled! "You can never be as high as that tree!"

A tree! A tree! The old man said with joy! As he peered down from his pilot's seat.

I remember you.
I remember sunshine on my shoe.
I remember the mustard tasted like glue.

Do you remember that old dogwood tree?
Do you remember the scraped knee?
Do you remember me?

The zebra called out from his cell,
"Please help me! I'm in hell!
These stripes aren't mine! I'm a horse!"

The jailer just laughed and shook her keys.
"Man, they ALL say that.
Even that burglar the spotted cat."

One day a little monkey said to me
"You wanna see me climb that tree?
Or jump around and juggle three lemons?"

I answered, "No. That won't be necessary.
It's entertainment enough this week,
Just to hear a talking monkey speak."