I Will Not Be Late To Work This Morning

I will not be late to work today I will get there on time I will brush my teeth Without singing songs Without thinking about birthdays About gymnasiums About TAKS About sound About war Republicans Democrats Independents I will get there on time I will eat my oatmeal Without thinking of Broken valentines Strewn against a wooden Fence Like dropped goblets From a robbers pillowcase I will be there before the bell rings My papers will be checked My hair will be combed My mind will be alert Ready to begin my lesson I will not wonder why My oldest son doesn’t have a job I will not pray too long For my daughter who is taking the bar today At 10:30 AM in New Orleans I will not scar my knees wishing For some alternate world Where children are never neglected Or hurt Where there is no abandonment What nonsense to try and order the world Just get to work on time Put your things in the car, your projector and The white binders that you didn’t look at All weekend although you were supposed to check the papers and put the grades on the computer I will leave now Before it is impossible to Be on time I will cream my ashy ankles I will not focus on the white Cat on the black pillow With the green eyes I will not water the plant I will not watch TV I will not write poetry Before work I will not write poetry Before work I will get to work on time I will be ready I will not be daydreaming about fog Wondering if I’ll get Alzheimer’s like my mother Or colon cancer like my dad I won’t be thinking about that stuff I will be locking the front door and Closing the gate and clicking the clicker And starting the car and leaving I will not be in my living room Wondering if there is any reason to love Because I do not love for reason I love because He first loved me It is not incantations or intoxication Or imagination it is my life and The structure will come with the Clearness of Bajan water So clear you can see the fish Fly float across the Atlantic It is time This poem must end I will not be late for work This morning Not for nothing Not for nobody Not for anything Not for everything This poem is over the work day begins