November 1: The Plague, Tina Kelley, "People Who Live Near the Hospital"

Yes, I have the plague in my house.  My daughter has strep throat, possibly mono.  My son has conjunctivitis in one eye, possibly two.  The school nurse sent three e-mail messages to parents this week.  The first was about strep.  The second was about conjunctivitis.  The third was about head lice.

Strep.  Check.

Conjunctivitis.  Check.

Head lice...Nit yet.  (Get it?)

I'm still healthy at the moment.  No guarantee that will continue.  But my eyes aren't oozing, and I can still swallow my kids' Halloween candy.

I have a poem from poet Tina Kelley that is very appropriate for my situation tonight.  It comes from her collection The Gospel of Galore.

Saint Marty's going to go take some Vitamin C and eat an apple now.

People Who Live Near the Hospital

Sick ones and survivors look down and see
real life going on, presumably unscarred,
the tricycle on the lawn, the garage door open,
the truck on the highway going under
the overpass, emerging on.

From the solarium window the scene below
looks fragile, cinematic and deaf,
a model railroad, an oasis of health,
the people there unknowingly blessed
by the wishes of those who wait.

A great book