Shadows

How Did it Get to 10? - long poem

How did it get to 10?
I looked at the clock,
A half hour ago,
And it was only 8:15.

I swung my legs out of bed,
Leaping into the brand new day,
That waited like a child,
Anxious for something sweet.
Only a second,
Then wait, a minute goes by.

How did it get to 10?
I swear daylight hours,
Have passed me by,
Forgetting to check with me first.

And I know, I know,
I swung that leg,
Got out of bed,
Crawled out of my own head,
And got on with my day.
So where was I?

Ah. I remember now.
That big black box,
Left in the corner of my room,
A warm, inviting cocoon.
And I couldn't help but crawl inside.

How did it get to 10?
Well the clock,
It was still ticking,
While I swam in white noise,
And soaps fog.

Those bright faces,
Coated in the rainbow,
And painted onto the screen,
They seemed so real to me,
That I've missed what has come and been.

But that's just the problem isn't it?
All of us,
the procrastinators,
Sucked into those TV beams.
So unaware of life,
That it always is 8:15.

How did it get to 10?
I looked at the clock,
A half hour ago,
And I knew I still had,
A life left to go.

At 8:15,
A cereal bowl,
A remote for a soul.
I left for only a second.
Just one more go,
Just one more show.

There are 365 days in a year,
12 months, 52 weeks,
And 8760 hours,
Of life to live.
So when each day,
I live only till 8:15.
I realise that 8752 hours,
Have already had to leave.

How did it get to 10?
Let's be honest,
I know the answer.
But do I want to face,
The life outside,
The cable canopy.
No I don't,
And yes I really do.

I will always been conflicted,
In those hours thay pass me by,
and rocket,
like jets of possibility,
Through the deep blue sky.

I'm afraid to make a connection,
That isn't just a one way track.
To make friends with the world,
That time adorns.
So I may not get there tomorrow,
I certainly won't today.
But soon I'll walk up to 10,
Shake hands and say,
"Hi it's good to finally meet,
How are you?"