Coughing Poem

Try not to breathe no breathe
Try not to rattle but I don't
rattle it does

once you hear the rattle
open your mouth
the rattle announces

Ribs are a broken accordion
Music is the most mysterious
art form

Book over knees
squeezebox opens
every knob

Book over knees
Open mouth
Sweatshirt

The lady next to me
changes her seat in horror
No subway wifi for Brooklyn on TV

On the train I go the wrong way
say oh shit
like twelve seconds later

somebody in the crowd parrots oh shit
I want to cough
all over all of them