My First Brush with Death

Thoughts of my own  

Mortality

Come in waves

Of nausea and shortness of breath

The flu of 2011

A mix of chicken broth laced

Fruit juice hallucinations

My dear wife’s ministrations

Swegen’s sitting with me

I’m comforted

These are reasons to continue

The story

Put this in perspective

My week

Of misery

Leaves me ample time for

Reflection

Curled in a fetal position

Takes me back to Plaistow NH

My childhood home

That day in 68

The reason for the fight

The pain in my back

My constant companion of 42 years

Spencer and Robbie were the school bullies

They coveted what I had

That year’s Red Sox year book

Part of an Easter offering

Amongst the jelly beans and Peeps

I brought it to school

For show and tell

In spite of mother’s protestations

A glossy magazine

Full of the impossible dream

Bean balls, a triple crown and

A showdown with Mr. Gibson

Enough electricity to light Kenmore’s CITGO sign all summer

Quite the boo birds forever

A treasure not to be relinquished easily

We were children in the schoolyard

The three of us

Two against one

A large rock  

Ended it