I can’t write today.

There’s things need doing. Bills to pay.

The laundry won’t put itself away -

I can’t write today.

I’ve to-do lists and not-done lists a mile long

And every little thing that could possibly ever go wrong

Needs to be anticipated, calculated

Life’s so complicated -

I can’t write today.

Classes to prep and papers to grade

Gotta do the job for which I’m paid

It seems that’s the choice I made, so tough

There’s not just me needing me to be doing stuff

And whatever I do, it’ll never be enough

There’s housework and paperwork and financial complications

And professional commitments and marital obligations

And the kids need feeding and they’re getting bored,

Writing is a luxury I simply can’t afford.

There’s that friend I haven’t called back since forever

And to be honest I’m feeling a bit (ahem!) under the weather -

I can’t write today.

I don’t have time to sleep, let alone write

There’s so many things to keep me up at night

And once I finally get to bed

There’s no peace from the noise inside my head –

Thoughts untamed, texts unwritten, words unsaid.

 

Then the alarm is set for dawn’s first light

To ensure, once more, tomorrow I’ll be too tired to write.