Archived Thoughts for 03/26/06

Thoughts of a Rural Woman

It's Cabin Fever
by The Editor, Rebecca Brown

When the walls in your home seem everso close
& the spaces between the furniture have shrunk
& the windows are dirty & the ceiling is low...
it's cabin fever.

When you bury your nose in dried mint
& open seed catalogs for inspiration
& beg your indoor plants to grow...
it's cabin fever.

When watery sunshine draws you out
& you bask in its faint warmth
& you change your clothes three times...
it's cabin fever.

When you notice the webs between your toes
& the dog won't follow you out into the rain
& you watch TV for sun–drenched scenes...
it's cabin fever.

When your tastebuds scream for something green
& oranges are first on your shopping list
& canned anything tastes like metal...
it's cabin fever.

When jumping into the car is an adventure
& every mile & errand fascinating
& you cannot sit still for another moment...
it's cabin fever.

When two's a crowd
& the UPS guy is Dr. Livingston
& you're reading junk mail...
Then cabin fever has got you.

It only lasts a month
& though you know it's imminent
& still it infects you until
all of a sudden you realize...

You're in a fever of pacing & growling
& fuming & howling
& huffing & puffing
at the confines of your little nest.

It's time to get out where no walls crowd
& no electricity hums.
& it's outside for any reason
where a body can move & breathe free.

As surely as the slugs return, cabin fever cometh.

Rebecca