Matters of maturity

2022

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I am at my desk and my teeth are tense and clenched
I am floating my bench does not exist I cannot look at these
promotions and updates and now it is frigid and I am
sweating
                     outside the window a moth waddles
through dead lawn the autumnal caesar salad it flaps
its wings my voice croaks it is time to say goodbye
but the engine stalls it does not rise it is stuck
it is a matter of maturity I think
                                                           for the noctuid

the alarm clock sounds and it will soon depart
for some sap-filled branch or floret feast
my phone emits a buggy buzz it is calling
me to check another message from god
or an intern so I stay seated
                                          and drip


                                                         and drip.