knock on doors in early morning
when the sky is the same gray as
mourning doves who love this hour
and the questions stop to talk
to any sleepy soul in rumpled pajamas
who answers the door and the questions
Ask, Which takes longer, to
pay bills or write a poem
dress for work or write a poem
pack lunch or write a poem
?
Plenty of smart, well-rested people
don’t answer the door so early.
Those awake are no wiser than
their sleeping, dreaming neighbors.
None of us knows the answer.
But here’s the new plan: Next time
the questions knock, let’s turn
their quizzical selves right back around,
grab our shoes and say we don’t know
but we’ll be happy to keep them company
while they walk.
