CURSE OF THE BUTTONS

After David Tucker

I’m going to be late.
I can’t help it you see,
but this shirt I planned to wear
isn’t doing anything good for me.
The sleeves are laughing,
the left and right.
I try to feed each hard round button
through invisible slits
but the front buttons
are fighting hidden holes
as fingers with no feeling
try to press a quarter through a dime slot.

I’m going to be late
And I know it.
There’s no short cut set for me
I’m hoping the next time
I return weary from work
when I toss this shirt
into the laundry bin
that I’ve remembered
not to unbutton
and the buttons stay buttoned
through the wash and rinse
or the next time I head out
these numb fingers
again will delay me.
Curse these shirt buttons
I’m going to be late.

- By Anthony Buccino
From AMERICAN BOY: Pushing Sixty
Copyright © 2010 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Photos and content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.
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