virus vs me

tiny virus topples huge habitation

me

virus which is not fully a live being

wins

by taking over the functions of my cells

conquering

cell-by-cell in transmuting sneak attacks

until

i feel so crummy i leave the field and go to

bed

(im)patient

i am an impatient patient

but the threat of long COVID is enough

to keep me cowering in my home grateful not to be infecting anyone else

but stunned by how slowly i think

so, my writing has come nearly

to a halt and i am watching old movies

as though they were worth all that time