Four year old Milo enters
Already chattering
Like an impatient blackbird

My mother calls from upstairs
And begins her complaint 
As I am still mounting the stairs

Our dog gets restless
Waiting for her morning treat
And almost murmurs her feed me bark

The stack of mail to be dealt with
Yells at my eyes
Every time I look at the side table 

The laundry basket
With the lid that won’t quite close
The dirty dishes in the sink
The empty bookcase waiting to be moved
The bathroom to clean
The baker’s rack to paint
The new towels to order

All shout, demanding attention

While Woody waits patient
Though the morning grows long
And I still hide in the bedroom
Reading, writing, praying, dozing

Regrets and hopes
Wants and needs
Past and future
Scream, “Pay attention to me”

If I am not careful
I will miss the quiet entrance
And soft speech
Of Love now