POETRY
Noon — VI
Like clockwork, the sun climbs to its zenith,
while inside, the people of the house
drift up and down the stairs
and from room to room, with obedience
to their own clocks, balancing
meals and tasks and habits.
The adults long for the naked abandon beneath their habits,
where exploration is free to reach its zenith.
Bolstered by the times that balance
the regular demands housed
within their choice to be obedient,
they watch their step on the stairs.
Open-eyed, the noontime sun stares
as is its habit,
spinning in its place, obedient
to the laws that govern its zenith.
It gleams and winks above the house;
it brings the garden into balance.
Inside, mother treads her rope tightly, balancing
roles and wearing many hats. Two at a time up the stairs
saves time. She co-captains the house,
cultivating creature habits
to reach for the zenith
of order and obedience.
