Today was supposed to be the day that I disregarded all my statistics and data analysis for my dissertation and concentrated on writing a background chapter. I decided I had to break up the monotony of statistics, taking one or two days a week to concentrate on the background stuff would be a great way to do that. Unfortunately as I began to outline the chapter I was hit with a major migraine. I’m finally now just getting over it after napping a bit, but I don’t want to tempt it by being on the PC too much. Hopefully later I’ll be able to actually do some work. Till then, I felt this was fitting to post . . .

SICK

“I cannot go to school today,”
Said little Peggy Ann McKay,
“I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash, and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I’m going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I’ve counted sixteen chicken pox
And there’s one more–that’s seventeen,
And don’t you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut, my eyes are blue–
It might be instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I’m sure that my left leg is broke–
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button’s caving in,
My back is wrenched, my ankle’s sprained,
My ‘pendix pains each time it rains.
My nose is cold, my toes are numb,
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow’s bent, my spine ain’t straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is–what?
What’s that? What’s that you say?
You say today is—Saturday?
G’bye, I’m going out to play!”

~Shel Silverstein~

2 Replies to “Sick”

  1. Sorry you have one of your migraines; feel better soon! But thanks for posting this poem. It was one of my favorites growing up. I loved Shel Silverstein. :0)

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