An Hour of Free Time
(Author Note: If anyone noticed I was gone, thanks. I missed a few days, so here are 5 to catch me up.)
from 
JoeUser Forums
JoeUser Forums
We only have each other
so we sometimes
stand back to back
to cover every angle
and protect us
from all the helpless
uncontained forces
who call for our
approval and permission
and attention
and I am snapping
more often
yelling at a problem
that doesn’t know
or doesn’t care
about me
and I keep stepping
on her children
not realizing that I
have stepped on
her too
and I wonder if
I should step out
from the eye of the
hurricane and let
someone else
more wise
take control
and my vacation
has slipped away
not quickly
but painfully slow
every moment in wordless
agony – not knowing if
I am in a good moment or
bad
I know I have to go back
to work next week
and be expected to be
rested and renewed for
the shitstorm of banality
that is my job
so I am not rested
nor renewed
nor ready
I am depleted
and exhausted and
wrung out dry
I want a week of silence
I want fewer demanding choices
I want more invitations to
an hour of free time
and I want to be
free of guilt
so I can enjoy it.
so we sometimes
stand back to back
to cover every angle
and protect us
from all the helpless
uncontained forces
who call for our
approval and permission
and attention
and I am snapping
more often
yelling at a problem
that doesn’t know
or doesn’t care
about me
and I keep stepping
on her children
not realizing that I
have stepped on
her too
and I wonder if
I should step out
from the eye of the
hurricane and let
someone else
more wise
take control
and my vacation
has slipped away
not quickly
but painfully slow
every moment in wordless
agony – not knowing if
I am in a good moment or
bad
I know I have to go back
to work next week
and be expected to be
rested and renewed for
the shitstorm of banality
that is my job
so I am not rested
nor renewed
nor ready
I am depleted
and exhausted and
wrung out dry
I want a week of silence
I want fewer demanding choices
I want more invitations to
an hour of free time
and I want to be
free of guilt
so I can enjoy it.