Heavy eyes struggle to open

Weighed down like salt-crusted anchors

Breath rattles through creaky chest

Mouth gasps frantically

Mimicking a fish out of water

Throat flames and burns

Throbbing painfully as if from

Battles with a thousand sting rays

Nose streams murky liquid

Like a hole-filled boat

Body is leaden and aching

Moving wearily like a waterlogged ship

And as sneezes slam treacherously through,

Rocking and shuddering like a rubber dinghy

Under ferocious, unexpected storms

Cracking to each crash of the

Drums pounding within the skull

In drained salutations - of The Cold