Sick by Shel Silverstein | Grade 10 | Poetry

Added: 2026-05-20

[00:00:01]I cannot go to school today, said little Peggy McKay. I have the measles and the mumps, a gash, a rash, and purple bumps.

[00:00:14]My mouth is wet. My throat is dry. I'm going blind in my right eye. My tonsils are as big as rocks. I've counted 16 chickenpox.

[00:00:27]And there's one more. That's 17. And don't you think my face looks green?

[00:00:34]My leg is cut. My eyes are blue. It might be inatic flu.

[00:00:41]I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke.

[00:00:45]I'm sure that my left leg is broke.

[00:00:48]My hip hurts when I move my chin. My belly buttons caving in.

[00:00:55]My back is wrenched. My ankles sprained.

[00:00:59]My appendix pains each time it rains. My nose is cold. My toes are numb. I have a sliver in my thumb.

[00:01:11]My neck is stiff. My voice is weak. I hardly whisper when I speak. My tongue is filling up my mouth. I think my hair is falling out.

[00:01:25]My elbows bent. My spine ain't straight.

[00:01:30]My temperature is 108.

[00:01:33]My brain is shrunk. I cannot hear. There is a hole inside my ear.

[00:01:41]I have a hangail and my heart is What?

[00:01:46]What's that? What's that you say? You say today is Saturday.

[00:01:54]Goodbye. I'm going out to play.