The alarm clock is an affront to my soul.

It harshly interrupts the rhythms of life.

Time should not scream at us, “Hurry!”

Rather, we should require it to help us rest

and flow like a river –

Effortlessly, leisurely, peacefully.

Industriousness is essential

we all know.

Yet, to tarry is as well.

Life has a rhythm –

For our hearts, souls and minds

and all those we encounter.

We will enjoy time’s passage

if we use it wisely.

We will then hear it whisper, “Relax!”

Then we shall pass through time in peaceful awe,

just as the calming currents of the Greenbrier River.

© Michael M. Barrick, 2023