“Shingles—One of life’s little stumbling blocks”

I woke up this morning just feeling kinda bitchy,

a bit feverish and my butt was really itchy.

I twisted around to see, using your looking glass,

to find I had a shingles rash covering my ass.

It’s covered all in blisters rough as a coarse sand.

I can’t sit down to rest; I can just lie down or stand.

Forgive me for snapping at you and that vile curse,

when you said just don’t scratch it, you’ll only make it worse.

Friends and family stay away, lost all their sympathy.

Everyone is fed up by now and avoiding me.

I know you have lost patience too. I just heard you sigh.

If you ask why I’m anal, I’ll be sure to tell you why.

Del Gustafson is the author of Bulls, Broncs and Barrooms—a book of Cowboy Poetry, some humorous, some reflective. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YC5C55C

SHARING STORIES is a weekly column for and about the 50 plus crowd living in the Puget Sound region. Send your stories and photos to ariele@comcast.net. Tell local or personal stories; discuss concerns around aging and other issues; share solutions, good luck, and reasons to celebrate; poems are fine too. Pieces may be edited or excerpted. We reserve the right to select among pieces. Photos are always a plus and a one-sentence bio is requested (where you live, maybe age or career, retired status, etc.).

SHARING STORIES is featured on http://www.northwestprimetime.com, the website for Northwest Prime Time, a monthly publication for baby boomers, seniors, retirees, and those contemplating retirement. The newspaper can be found in the greater Seattle area and other Puget Sound locations. For more information, call 206-824-8600 or visit http://www.northwestprimetime.com. To find other SHARING STORIES articles on this website type “sharing stories” in the search function above.