hard to tell
if the illness
is viral
bacterial
or depression based
in origin

hard to care

hacking
wheezing
glands swollen
cold radiating in waves
as sweat pours
head pain
hard to swallow

she screams in the night
of
love unanswered
unrequited odes
never given voice
just softly murmured
not ignored
just left unspoken
to the ears
that she so desires
to hear them

her own viral infraction
pouring like mucus
down love’s tired refrain

he sits alone
wondering
to whom the words are based
only sure
they are not to him

bacterial inflammation
that doesn’t allow
for happiness
to permeate
the gray matters of his heart

instead
they wallow
in depression malaise
swimming
in shark infested waters
of their own design

they are all sick

unfortunately
there is no cure

luckily
we all have

an expiration date