Archive | August 26, 2009

8/26/09 Patricia A. Hawkenson’s Reflections

Pre Game Warm Up

I know instinctively
the seconds between that moment
when our infant toddles
at the top of the stair
and my arms reach out to grab him.

I can calculate how many minutes
of rest there is between loads of laundry,
giving the kids a bath,
and cutting the carrots for supper.

Only I know the passage of time.
No need to count it for me.

But my husband traveling
in a couch time warp
throws off the laws of physics
when the minutes left in the game
clearly marked in intervals
of decreasing seconds,
has morphed into a half hour
distorted by breasted commercials
and bottles of domestic beer.

Time stands still
as our eyes connect
with my wordless stare
that threatens to end his game.