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8 Minutes
by Karen Suriano
6:35 a.m.
electronic crickets
tap snooze bar
6:45
obstinate electronic crickets
thump snooze bar
6:55
unrelenting electronic crickets
bombinating brain matter
oh, the pain!
pillow over head
the choice before me:
roll now to face the dawn
or bang the bar again
for another ten
6:56
still chirruping
the addiction whispers
it takes just
8 minutes
to make a latte
and 30 to get ready and go…
do it, fat lady!
get that milky white ass outta bed
before it's
6:57
croaking and grating
Slam!
ah, sweet
silence
6:58
roll, baby, roll!
covers flung
thighs a rubbin'
down the hall
grab clothes off railing
and she's off!
down the stairs
one bad knee at a time
drop clothes on couch
waddle through kitchen
clock says
7:00
into the bathroom
void the unnecessaries
7:02
lay out the day's
utensils and tools:
cotton swabs
deodorant
makeup
brushes and combs
7:03
brush teeth
step gingerly under spray
7:05
no time to wash hair today
I have a latte to make
8 minutes
is all it takes
lather up scrubber
and important parts
don't forget
behind the ears and
between toes
rinse away woes
oh god
hot feels good
time! time!
gotta have those
8 minutes
water stopped
curtain pulled
air chilled
nipples at attention
rub down flab
swab ears
detangle hair and
clip back
slap on:
deodorant
moisturizer
eyeliner
blush
powder
mirror check:
as good as it gets
fly out bathroom door
kitchen clock says
7:21
scuttle to couch
drag resistant underthings
over still moist skin
achieve yoga postures
while wrestling
into pantyhose
7:24
no time for this!
go to Plan B
stockingfooted and topless
into kitchen
past window
did the neighbors see?
grab coffee and milk
measure water
milk
grounds
secure pressure cap
energize!
7:27
3 minutes until
rejuvenation
in a dark brown stream
bounce back past window
jiggle this way and that
into the rest of the
corporate uniform
shoes on
coat donned
dignified this time
past the kitchen window
as shotglass carafe
fills, fills, fills
7:30
steam and froth
clean nozzle
fill mug
snap lid
DONE!
out the door by
7:34
in too big a flurry
to notice
dress stuck
in pantyhose
(priorities, my friend,
priorities)
Copyright © 2006 Karen Suriano
