Safety Third
When procrastinating
you might as well get something done
For example
a good time for poetry
is while wing-walking
in between taking hold of something
and letting go of something else
or when time permits
etching steam in longhand
on the shower glass door
while taking dictation
from your muse
or when awakening
from a dream so memorable
a mental note should work
so you downshift to 2nd sleep
you can always forget to log it later
or when a presentation is due
but your right-handed card trick
and left-brained villanelle
demand immediate attention
Then again
if it’s a poem
just downwind of a deadline
what a swell time to tidy up
check if “concrastinate” is in the OED
peruse your well-worn seed catalog porn
and dog-ear another rain check
to dig deep into the dark
chocolate springtime loam
Sam Hersh, a lapsed psychologist and software engineer, lives at the foot of Mount Diablo in Danville, California. By day, his left brain works the Valley of Heart’s Delight. By night, his right brain rewrites poetry, twists porcelain and refreshes lactobacillus sanfranciscensis to perfect sourdough bread. Weekends are for surf, stories and music with the extended family at beaches beginning with the letters, San. The Ina Coolbrith Circle graciously mentioned, awarded and published some of his poems.
When procrastinating
you might as well get something done
For example
a good time for poetry
is while wing-walking
in between taking hold of something
and letting go of something else
or when time permits
etching steam in longhand
on the shower glass door
while taking dictation
from your muse
or when awakening
from a dream so memorable
a mental note should work
so you downshift to 2nd sleep
you can always forget to log it later
or when a presentation is due
but your right-handed card trick
and left-brained villanelle
demand immediate attention
Then again
if it’s a poem
just downwind of a deadline
what a swell time to tidy up
check if “concrastinate” is in the OED
peruse your well-worn seed catalog porn
and dog-ear another rain check
to dig deep into the dark
chocolate springtime loam
Sam Hersh, a lapsed psychologist and software engineer, lives at the foot of Mount Diablo in Danville, California. By day, his left brain works the Valley of Heart’s Delight. By night, his right brain rewrites poetry, twists porcelain and refreshes lactobacillus sanfranciscensis to perfect sourdough bread. Weekends are for surf, stories and music with the extended family at beaches beginning with the letters, San. The Ina Coolbrith Circle graciously mentioned, awarded and published some of his poems.