SABBATH, OR SUNDAY

 

SABBATH, OR SUNDAY

Home from the Safeway,

late Sunday morning after worship, unlock

the door to house for Karen, turn

and walk the short block

around the stop sign, up

to Wellington and back around

to 54^th and Whitman

where I turn back on 56^th

and home. Four point two tenths

of a mile to the front door,

just about eight minutes, maybe

a minute longer than most

television commercials,

and enter the house.

Two playoff football games

have been scheduled back to back,

on different, collaborating channels,

programmed for seven or eight hours,

in what is called prime time.

My country is heavily invested

in having as many people as possible

inside for the duration of the day,

even past sunset. January

is the longest month.

When

I am given this time, these seven

minutes, ok, eight, sometimes

I don’t know what it is. It is so much

other that I don’t recognize it as time.

It frightens me.

Jim Bodeen

28-30 January 2024