My desk at work
is a motley mishmash
of aspiration,
perspiration,
and procrastination.

An empty Dixie cup
           which yesterday held
           a precisely measured
           3 oz. of M&M candies.
           (Enough to be a treat
           while sensibly evading all-out gluttony.)

A canister
           of Sani-Cloth Disinfecting Wipes proclaims:
           Kills 99.9% of Bacteria in 15 seconds!
           I think for the first time
           about bacteria dying,
           and I feel a little bit sorry
           about the slaughter I’ve been wreaking daily
           on the keys of my laptop.

A pile of catalogues
           taunts and teems with tedious work.
           (Turn the page, scan the titles, type the ISBNs.
           Wash, rinse, repeat.)

Barack Obama’s face grins
           from the cover of
           six classroom’s worth of Scholastic News
           still in their shrink wrap.

A menu
           peeks out from a pile of old notebooks.
           PAMPAZO  Chorizo con papa $7.00
           GORDITAS DE CHICHARRON $4.00

A glass of water
           I should have finished 3 hours ago.

My phone
           with its red light always blinking, blinking.
           The display politely reminds me:
           7 new messages.
           Messages I’ll never get
           since I have no idea
           how to check my messages.

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