we all thought we would be somewhere else by now

4 A.M. (an alarm clock demon screams)

We all thought we would be somewhere else

we could be so much more than we are

5 A.M. (driving the drive)

Aren’t we all philosophers, writers, musicians,
artists, poets, painters? 

12:30 (catching my breath)

We all have some skill, or some passion

we could happily do (day in, and day out)

clock in- and clock out-

herd mentality, we are sheep,

we are cattle,

we are aging puppets,

twitching marionette chattel.

our young strings attached 

to the fingers of the man

that has the check in his hand.

The gossip, the chatter,  the small talk,

the language of machines:

the mechanical click and dull dry thud

The serpentine hiss of pneumatics.

4:45 (escape)

the alarm buzzes, the gray block walls surround

we all thought we would be somewhere else by now