If you squint your eyes and strain them
While driving fast and mindlessly down the expressway,
You can usually force yourself to think
That you are on your way somewhere exciting.

This morning, that did not work and I
Was forced to admit that I
Was on my way to work, again, along with
All the other Unfortunates.

I suppose that it is good to have a mind
Clear of distraction and delusion on these
Sparkling, vintage September mornings when
All is gilded and polished and the rising Sun is soft on your eyes.

You can review the bewilderment of being told
How much you are cherished and adored right before
You are quietly dismissed and summarily forgotten
And abandoned for some imagined higher ground.

You can also battle with the tangled and gnarled roots
Of your mistrust of bureaucracy and officialdom as
You wrestle with the idea of returning to finish a higher education
That you never really started in the first place.

You can fall into and out of love with your best friend's wife.
And you can do that a couple times a week - because she is
Understanding and listens to you and because she exudes motherhood
And empathy and eases your thoughts with tender eyes.

But that's ok because it is impossible not to fall in love and everyone
Expects it and it only lasts long enough to get you to empty out your
Thoughts on whichever it is that is troubling you - because confession seems
To demand love. Then all returns to normal and friendships reign supreme, again.

Then you get to work.