Surviving in Time

It’s 4 AM, the morning before it’s all due

My body aches from hunching over

My hands shake from the caffeine

My ears falter at the tune

 

At 8 AM, I’ll have work

I’ll open my laptop while I write up the job application

Then I’ll get up from there and check off something

Something, something, something on a list

 

Somewhere in the blank space then I’ll remember

At 10 AM, I’ll have to eat something. It’s lunch, not breakfast. Possibly brunch if I want it

Then there’s the plant to water, not too full, not too dry. Did I water it this weekend?

I’ll need to read some books, maybe rest my eyes for 10 minutes first

 

Open them again, oh! It’s been an hour

No threat on the television, maybe I’ll drink some water

At 1 PM, I’ll go walk the dog, and hope no one else is awake

They’re all probably still in their room, coughing up a fit

 

Or maybe crying down a drain

Can’t blame them as I mask up, glove up, and sanitize when I return

At 5 PM, I called an Uber order

Sat down at my laptop to check on the emails in a timely fashion

 

My stomach growls

I ignore it and let the others eat

Don’t want to see them

At 4 AM, I dream of the sunrise and wonder about the new routine

 

Then lulled to the music

I don’t touch a screen, I stare out the window

Just to breathe

Then remember everything