to close my eyes
drift into dreamland
for longer than a few minutes
doesn't seem much to ask
but night after night
i wake, startled by
the sudden cough
shaken by the irresistible
inevitable convulsive bouts
ten minutes after i lay down
so i get up
use the neti pot
clear the passages
and the coughing stops
but only until i am
once again horizontal
eventually exhaustion will
have to take over
i'll have no choice
but to doze
hopefully
