School of Representational Art, Chicago

Waking Up

There are some days when you feel in your gut

that everything you have done before is worthless.

Something has taken to slipping through the bright outline

of curtain in the room where you sleep and saying your name

in a clear voice, over and over.

Now, at once, you must stop what you are doing

and begin the important work, because it is shaking you

in your bed and you woke to its shaking and saying

Wake up, it's time to go.

And some days all you need is to stop

while you are unpeeling a garlic bulb-

Just stop dead in the middle of the kitchen

and marvel at it's perfect shape, and how perfectly

the shapes fit together -

and how they have fit together for centuries,

and are now in your presence.