I have the flu
and that is perfect
It's not sarcastic
because now I can be
rotten
on the outside too

(Spring 2008)

I have a sore
My throat
I have an ache
My head
I have a strain
My eye
I have a chill
My body
I, resist
And sang with them

I am heading to
My brain
As I think
Purple
It smells like
Orange
But melts like
Rain
Feels cold like
Blue ice
My lips are pale
Ay-yay-yay
Wild like honey
On a caramelized
Pie-yay-yay
Sweet red pepper, I
Disguised like roses
In the garden
You pricked me
A-ray!

Flavored pain
As I feel
I have warmth
My forehead

I have flu
To bed

I want to be a mermaid
weightless, graceful, doing somersaults
in a blue, Caribbean sea
No heavy footed huff and puff, no tripping over my feet.

I want to be an orangutan
Surveying this land I own
breaking through durian fruits, pondering, planning
calmly navigating this lush jungle maze... maybe with an infant on my back!

I want to be forever well
never with flu, migraine or broken bone
I want to taste a raw chicken thigh
to sample all number of liquor I like
and never will I be sick

If a genie gave me three wishes this is what I'd pick.

Here comes the days of craving tasteless food
To dip biscuits in tea by your bed
Today I'm the exact opposite of a *****
Groans and hmms and spitting red

Oh, but wait, my nose unblocked
I breathe with both nostrils now
The movie I just watched totally rocked
I feel like sleeping again, but how?

Toss and turn, take a pill
Blowing my nose some more
Cough drops? No, I've got nil
****, my throat will stay sore