The Tick

At 3:54 a.m. 

I felt it~

the sting itch

of a bite

on my insole

I fumbled for

the itch cream

back in bed

couldn’t sleep

4:17 I felt the

critter urgently

scrambling 

Along the back

Of my shoulder

Up my neck

Behind my ear

To my hairline

Where my fingers

Found it,

Pinched all 

The way to the

Sink, released it

To see a lone star

Tick scaling the basin

I turned on the water

Chased it down the

Drain, pulled the stopper

And filled the sink 

But still felt the

Crawly itch as I 

Lay back down

on my eyebrow,

under my armpits

in the fold of my ear

even my clavicle 

itched ~

(they don’t 

make

clavicle itch cream)