Morning in Allegan
In a small town life ticks by.
Old men meet for coffee like clockwork,
sharing tall tales from days gone by,
blurring the line between fact and fiction.
Two women open the Dime Store,
as they have for decades,
in an unspoken rhythm of light switches, locks and cleaning,
inviting customers to return once again.
Factory workers navigate roadways and parking lots,
filing into large, sprawling buildings,
anticipating the arrival of the weekend.
Children make their way to school,
riding noisy, crowded buses,
trudging through slushy snow on buried sidewalks,
excited and preoccupied by a two hour delay.
I lie still,
disturbed by a headache,
wishing sleep would return once again,
resisting the day that waits.
Time slips away.