Waking Up with Shingles

My shingles this morning itches,

these lingering sons of bitches.

But the deep pain is mostly gone

so i guess i can carry on.

They were supposed to last a week;

my case happens to be unique.

After six months or maybe more

they are still discolored and sore.

Having chicken pox as a kid

means the virus is only hid.

It may never happen to you,

but there is nothing you can do.

I did have the preventive shot.

It didn’t seem to help a lot.

Walt Abbott–10-1-2009