he touched his hot brow
and thought it to be febrile
he wondered if now
he was going feeble

or burning to the core,
was he stoked with passion
yearning for something more
but the mirror just said, “ashen.”

as his wife tucked him into bed;
he wondered if she’d join him.
she kissed his forehead instead
his chances went from slim to quite dim.

as she turned out the light,
she said, “sweet dreams and good night.”