The Clock

While
there are always
tasks to be completed
meals to be prepared
appointments to be kept

It isn’t really the litany of
ongoing daily existence that
sometimes feels too much

Happily, life goes on
no matter what
never being off duty
is the biggest challenge

Relief comes
only late in the evening
one day waning, the next
waiting just around the corner

In the wee hours
I can read and contemplate
catch a few hours of sleep
free of schedules (briefly
since the clock still ticks)
and requests for assistance

Calculating how many hours
of sleep I’ll probably get before
the next day begins and how many minutes
are left that belong just to me.