A Poem for Fall

It's September, it's finally Fall!
My very favorite season.
It's so cool, colorful and crisp,
I need no other reason.

The trees are so beautiful,
the reds, oranges and bright yellow all abound.
They look like flames burning in the sun
I wish we had more trees around.

Halloween is getting closer,
costumes, candy and pumpkins to carve.
Fall baking, warm stews and toasty breads to bake,
No one living with me will starve.

But Hark! What's that I hear?
"Sniffle-sniffle, cough-cough- HACK!"
Oh NO! Not again!!!!
The cold and flu season is also back!

Oh crap, time to arm up and prepare for battle!
Stock up on syrups, Kleenex and Vick's.
Time for little sleep and lots of germs.
Because now my kids will take turns being sick.

This season used to be my favorite
The very best of them all.
Now I've learned to dread and fear it,
The very sick and germy fall.

The air, so crisp and cool
Brings chills and fevers on windy wings.
You can't out run this scary sickness
And all the disgusting crap it brings.

The crunchy, dead leaves, brightly aflame
start their gentle descent with a rapid grace,
as infection, similar to the black plague
seeps, quickly, into every crack and place.

There's no escaping this disease,
not enough Purell or soap in here.
Vitamin C and Echinacea won't save you
just brace yourselves with a healthy dose of fear.

It's always the same
Every single year.
When the first school bell rings
You know that sickness is near.

We will pass illness around
from person to person, house to house.
It will sneak up from behind
as quiet as a tiny, filthy mouse.

Just when you think your family is safe,
that you may make it through, healthy and well,
"sniffle-sniffle, cough-cough- HACK!"
You will be reminded that cold season is BACK!