Challenging Poetry

pneumonia

I was fourteen
when the fever came,
catching in my lungs and
carrying me away so fast
my body stayed behind.
sometimes I had conversations,
that almost made sense
before they weighted me
down with blankets
so I couldn't float away.
I was ice and I was fire,
and lifting my arms
was impossible because
they were anchored to the earth
and I was drifting in clouds,
everything of me disappearing
in the fever except me.

line count: 17
April 25: muse on a disease or illness of any kind