Sick

When my son threw up, I wondered:

Did he throw up because he was sick?
Or just because he hadn’t eaten all day?
And had he not eaten because he was sick?
Or because he was picky? Or distracted?

And it seems he’s been under the weather for some time.
Or was that his brother? Or three brothers? Or four?
It seems, over the last weeks, I’ve heard reports of
Headache, fever, exhaustion, sinusitis;
I’ve seen vomit and runny noses,
Heard coughs, both deep and shallow,
Had a sore throat myself.
(But was that sickness or simply too much reading aloud,
Or maybe dehydration?)

When I only vaguely notice a plethora of symptoms
Among seven people for several weeks,
And I didn’t start tracking who suffered from what, when—
Does that make me distracted and inept?
Or simply practical?
Few people die from a cold.

I’m not sure if this is confession or justification.