I am sick, have caught my husband’s rasping cough
My throat is scratchy and my ears are itchy
I don’t feel that bad so I saw all my students
They moved away as I coughed

We are in the throes of AP term papers
Beloved and Catch 22
How different can you get?
Oh, and Huck Finn, too, I just remembered

Enjoying the research on these books
Plus reading them, of course
I am slowly moving forward in areas I missed
By choosing Psychology over English

I would love a literature Bachelor’s degree
That would make me exceedingly happy
And yet, I am slowly moving that direction
Helped along by daughter’s UCLA American Literature focus

I will be reading a book for her class next week
And helping out daughter Liz and a few law school classmates
With edits on their big papers
That are all due the same day as Rachael’s

Last night I received an email
From the college brother of one of my high school students
Could I help with his senior thesis?
I seem to be moving up the food chain

I still love my youngest students
Fourth graders who come to me with pencils not moving
We draw pictures and write stories
And before long their pages are full

This is not a profession I could have guessed
I’d find myself ever, much less now
But I am truly happy
Getting to read all the books I missed

Off to relax now
My walk and my writing and my work
Complete for today
Perhaps my cough will calm