Cast of Bonanza

I caught a bug somewhere between Portland and Albuquerque, so I’m feeding it hot tea, aspirin, soup and ice cream.

With the aim of getting a sympathetic response from my husband, I take my temperature often, but it never even hits 98.

I just don’t run fevers, which confuse the doctors when I’ve encountered pneumonia and appendicitis.

They shake their heads.

My symptoms fail to comport with their expectations.

Today’s poem emerged from my bout with the bug.

Fever

Fevers avoid me

My body’s perfect pitch: 97 point 4

Point 5

Point 6

Point 7.

My honey burns his fevers high:

99

100

101.

He emerges

Cool.

In the old TV Westerns

Like Bonanza

Women who

Loved the Cartwright boys

All died

One by one

From fever sweats

Lying on soaked sheets

They perished.

That’s what you get

If you’re a white girl

On Bonanza.

#30poemsin30days

#Bonanza