it starts with a scratchy throat

then you start to ache all over

your throat gets really sore

your voice becomes raspy 

that dry cough is really annoying

next is the headache and sinus congestion

followed by a runny nose and a chesty cough

you spend a fortune on cold remedies that never work

you get worried that you have Covid

swab your nose in the drive through

the test comes back negative

but you still feel like crap

it seems to linger forever

its just a cold but in this Covid era

people treat you like a leper 

one sneeze can empty a store

a hacking cough sends people running 

pleas of “my covid test was negative’ go ignored

nobody wants to come within six feet of you

best to stay at home in self isolation

to stop the spread of your cold virus

and prevent all the Covid paranoia in public places

however this could increase the duration of your cold

because some say the only way to get rid of a cold

is to pass it along to somebody else