home (sick)

wool socks, flannel pajama pants

an old t-shirt, a worn flannel button-up

the cozy jacket my girlfriend got me for christmas

gather around the cold

that dribbles incessantly out my nose.

rain lashes at the window in sheets,

the same it’s been since i woke up at 6:30.

the whistle-wind whips the bay into a froth

outside my bedroom-turned-living-room.

the new mug i got from the district in-service

holds the gently steaming jasmine tea

on the slightly wobbly side table,

next to a growing mountain of used tissues.

i receive a few emails from my coworkers,

hoping i get well soon,

detailing behavioral issues of my students.

i sip at the tea cautiously,

carefully preserving my voice

for phone calls with loved ones

and d&d with friends.