It began this morning, at 6:10am.
And in the dark finished at 7:30pm.
No layoff, or rest from
this tour of duty.
Not even time for midday coffee
and a down-at-heels city poem.
I kept telling myself,
five more and five more.
And everything will turn invisible.
But a lifelong practice of
doing the best I can.
And students and
examinations asking for more
I waved myself back
and started all over again.

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