coughing spasms

how fragile

you are,

coughing, your eyes

watering

as you heave

forward

trying to loosen the 

hair like sliver

of an almond

stuck in the roughage

of your larynx.

what a big strong

man you are,

taken

down by a mere

shelled nut.

people asking are you

okay,

do you need water,

CPR,

or the Heimlich 

maneuver?

slapping you on the

back

as if that helps.