You Know What 9am Feels Like, Right? Like, If Your Watch & All Clocks—Suddenly Worldwide—Disappeared, You’d Still Know What 9am Feels Like, Right?

The first wristwatch was first worn
in 1810, despite what old turn-it-up
Flintstones episodes might have you
believe. But we all need to believe
in something, which is why at least
93% of us have chosen at least one
to follow. Even if tenants-of-the-faith
aren’t really acted upon 6½ days out
of 7. But hey, It looks good on the social
resume. That rhyme wasn’t intended
for you. You know what it feels like
when you’ve broken something
you loved, a sentimental trinket
on your dining room breakfront
from your great-great-grandmother.
But for the life of you, you can’t
remember if it was the maternal or
paternal grandma. It feels like ferns.
It feels like hot coffee. There’s a fire,
mostly warming embers. Maybe
books. Excessive light & houseplants.
The fallen ash almost in a straight line,
the sandalwood ash, the burnt bitty
twig a reminder of a once upon a time
forest. Light snowfall, but it’s warm
enough that you kick your socks off
your heels & leave them like mittens
on your toes. It feels like it’s a nice
enough morning, the sun is doing
his best to breakthrough, & you finally
decided to forgive. To forgive
yourself for that thing you’ve really
been beating yourself up for lately.
Lately & a lot longer than lately, once
again, if we’re really being honest with
each other. It may be my favorite of
all the hours. Screw you, 3 O’clock.
You know what it feels like, right?
You know what it feels like to for
once celebrate, right? To celebrate
the fact that you finally, maybe
for the first time ever, know how
to celebrate yourself?

Bob King is an English Professor at Kent State University at Stark. His poetry collection And & And published in August 2024. And/Or is forthcoming in September 2025. Recent nominations include 3 Pushcart Prizes & 3 BoTN. New work appears in LEON Literary Review, The Broken Spine, & Allium: A Journal of Poetry & Prose. He lives in Fairview Park, Ohio.