A piece of Tanka prose
For the past several days, my daughter has been sick; and my wife also caught the virus shortly after our six-year-old fell ill. Luckily, it’s nothing too serious – our child’s beloved doctor gave her a checkup and informed us that it’s merely a nasty cold. I haven’t fallen sick myself, but I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop.
beyond her fever
hacking coughing is the worst
bending her over
straining her stomach muscles
she's suffering in pieces
#TankaTuesday
The above was written for Colleen M. Chesebro’s ‘Tanka Tuesday’ prompt.
Let’s write poetry together!
When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.
–Ben Harper (b. 1969)
Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!
The Skeptic's Kaddish ๐ฎ๐ฑ 
Hope they are both feeling better now. My heart goes out to her after reading your tanka’s last line.
they’re better, thanks Marion!
๐ค
David
That’s good to hear. ๐
[…] ben Alexander […]
๐
It’s always tough. But children get through sickness better than adults. ๐
โค Terveen โค – this is true. My wife is still sick!
I wish her well. It’s difficult to go through sickness. But she has you… ๐
Are your darlings better? I hope so. Thanks for this Tanka Prose. Excellent. ๐
yes… the coughing lingers… but everyone is on the mend.
โค Selma โค – thank you.
Glad to know. Be well. xo
awwww hugs to them.. no fun.. I sure hope you don’t get it too!!! ๐
I’m a bit sick now too… but not as bad as daughter and wife are… mostly sniffles and a bad headache…
Always a tough nut when your child and/or spouse is ill.
Once my hubby (for the second time and as an adult) got a child hood illness from one of our children.
That high fever over several days was scary!
Hope all is well now!
โค Jules โค – thanks! Yeah… it's kinda scary. Fevers seem to be going up and down around here…
Sincerely,
David
Chicken soup!… and I can’t remember the order is it stave a cold, feed a fever or reverse! … “This saying has been traced to a 1574 dictionary by John Withals, which noted that โfasting is a great remedy of fever.โ The belief is that eating food may help the body generate warmth during a โcoldโ and that avoiding food may help it cool down when overheated. But recent medical science says the old saw is wrong.
Sometimes the body temp rises beause we cover up our loved ones too much! But the fever is good in some respects, as it is what is taking ‘care’ of the germs? I know folks are always glad when a fever finally truly breaks.
Cool compresses and lots of love.
โค thanks so much again, Jules โค
-David