Stealing Time

by Robert Grant

​

“write a poem” is not on today’s must-do list—

is not “do the dishes”, “mow the lawn”, “pay

bills”, “drop off books at library”, “mail

present to Uncle Steve”, “schedule dentist

appointment”, “call credit union”, “pick up kids”,

“pick up groceries”, “make dinner”, “water

plants and garden”, “take out garbage”,

“load of laundry”, “make school lunches”—

and yet: here I find myself, at my desk, choosing

from this stack of sharpened pencils,

ready and eager to translate musings

into soft grey lines on the page, hopeful

that something beautiful will come

and stem this tide of guilt.