The Time Sink

The Time Sink

By Brandon Palzkill

Time is a leaky sink.

Second after second,

ceaselessly dripping

down into the depths,

never to be seen, again.

I loaf around the basin,
watching every drop

spiral down the drain.

I can’t stop the drip,

can’t fix the leak,

so I just stand… watching.

My life slips by,

while I wait around

and nothing ever changes;

the drops will always fall,

whether I’m there or not.

I should do something else,

but can’t look away.

I’ve fallen under the thrall

of those continuous drips,

sixty per minute,

while they count down

to the end of me.

How do you handle it?

Do  you fare any better?

Do you lose yourself

down the drain,

or go on with your life?

Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland

By Brandon Palzkill

A blanket of white,

covering everything

beneath its pillow-y folds.

But, it’s not a real blanket;

blankets bring warmth and

comfortable security.

This blanket offers us a

bitter chill,

icing all, beneath it.

The only security it knows,

is to freeze us

where we stand; trapped.

Beautifully numb,

cleverly misleading,

blanket of misfortune.

Writer's Block

Writer’s Block

By Brandon Palzkill

Writing is an arduous task,

when the right words are locked away

in the dark corners of my mind,

useless to me; making me useless.

Indeed, I’m nothing, without them;

my writings, meaningless.

How could I hope to pen sonnets of love,

when my impotent words

fail to set your heart aglow?

Could I regale you with epics of war,

when my weak, timid prose

can’t evoke its danger and intensity?

And if I don’t reclaim my words;

rectify my inadequacies,

then what would be the point?

Would I still be worthy

to share my thoughts for you to read,

or should I give up?

My Happy Place

My Happy Place

By Brandon Palzkill

I welcome the dark;

silent and serene,

calming and cool.

It engulfs me, wholly,

blotting out the world,

leaving me free

to slow the thoughts

speeding through my head,

allowing my peace

to drive out my chaos.

I welcome the dark;

my place of Zen.

Have You Been Outside, Yet?

Have You Been Outside, Yet?

By Brandon Palzkill

Simmering sun

stifles the air, outside-

summer has arrived.

Just Waiting

Just Waiting

By Brandon Palzkill

Second after second drips away,

lost in pointless waiting;

waiting for change

that doesn’t come,

waiting for the right moment

that will never arrive

waiting, like a fool,

for the bestowment of luck’s favor…

Sadly ambitionless, I loaf,

because it beats the alternative.

God forbid

I should hunker down;

get up off my lazy ass

and show some initiative.

“That’s far too much work…”

is my constant refrain.

But what really comes from waiting?

Certainly not change;

not when I’m standing still.

And “the right moment” doesn’t exist;

never has, never will.

Forget about luck;

the only real luck

is the luck we make, ourselves.

Waiting around is for suckers;

for shiftless layabouts.

I’ve counted myself amongst them

for far too long.

Time to finally stand up

and take some action,

spend my precious seconds, wisely...

Stop waiting, start doing.