Poem of the Day 10.17.08

aneurysm

heavy head
sore neck
getting worse
on my in-law’s couch
on a cool october
saturday evening
and i can’t shake it
so the panic sets in
and i go outside
to take in the night air
bare feet
start shivering on painted
white wood
the thud-head
and panic getting worse
tightening my chest
gas pains too
another problem
from other months
this year
and i think
i’m doing it
i’m finally falling apart
i’m too young to die
i haven’t even seen
my new book
or got the next one
put together yet
i haven’t toured old
british pubs with my wife
or taken a train with her
across india
the steelers are 4-1
the giants are 4-1
and i don’t even know
who’s going to the
world series this year.
when my wife comes out
to check on me
i calm a little bit
my head lightens
and i tell her i thought
i was having a brain aneurysm
though i don’t quite know
what having one entails
and she laughs kindly
then takes my hand
she tells me my blood sugar
is probably low.
it’s just that simple
sometimes
i guess.
and we look at the
darkening sky
over monroe, new york
where
i saw my first shooting star
about ten years ago.
then she asks me
if i want to go back
inside
get warm
get another beer
and have some dinner.
i do.
so we do.