My voice is deep and rough

Like the mysterious femme fatale

In an old black and white movie

Until I hack and choke on air

I lean on the doorframes

Whispering to imaginary

Noir detectives at their desks

Until I sneeze three times too much

My words are tough and slur

Together like Humprey Bogart

Trying to seduce Katharine Hepburn

Until the walls of my throat swell

Unimpressed I curl my lip

Like Gloria Swanson once

Hissed across a ballroom

Until I need to blow my nose

At the end of the day

My voice is raspy and sore

Like the fierce dames

And femmes fatales from before