The Ticking Clock.
Location
“And your homework is…”
Tick tock tick tock.
Staring at the clock
while the teacher says their last thoughts.
“You have survived your first week in busi…”
Tick tock tick tock.
Can’t it go any faster? Can’t we get out earlier? Can’t we?
One more hour.
“And the weather for this afternoon…”
Tick tock tick tock.
Traffic stops at the light
and I look at the clock out of spite.
“Your afternoon radio commute is brought to you by…”
Tick tock tick tock.
Haven’t I wasted enough time? Haven’t people realized the light changed? Haven’t people have places to be?
Fifty more minutes.
“Mom are you ready…”
Tick tock tick tock.
Putting the finally things in my bag
and letting it sag.
“Okay lets get going…”
Tick tock tick tock.
What took so long? What is the matter? What happened?
Forty more minutes.
“Thank you for taking Metra…”
Tick tock tick tock.
More people get on the train
dripping wet from being out in the rain.
“The next stop is….”
Tick tock tick tock.
How many more stops? How much longer? How can there be a delay today?
Thirty more minutes.
“Did you hear about…”
Tick tock tick tock.
Passing people as they walk down the street,
the young, and old, and weak.
“What are you doing this…”
Tick tock tick tock.
Who are they meeting? Who are they going to see? Who are they?
Twenty more minutes.
“Welcome to Robert Morris…”
Tick tock tick tock.
Seeing the tired faces after a long day of school
and thinking about all the homework you have that’s cruel.
“I have a question about…”
Tick tock tick tock.
When does their day end? When are they going home? When does their next activity start?
Ten more minutes.
“What are we doing today in…”
Tick tock tick tock.
Looking around and seeing all the faces
that are ready for the band basics.
“Time to quite down…”
We are here. We are ready. We are home.
Band has started.