Kaitlyn

13

The Skin of Routine

the anticipation so real you can feel it ticking
boom, boom
beneath your skin
the sun’s bedtime gets later
as it approaches, never slower
summer

like a lemon, it has a bittersweet taste
the sweetness of the summer is there,
more prominent with time
and yet the bitterness is what strikes you first,
what you must endure
slither, slither
out of the skin of routine that nearly suffocated you, so tight
and new skin grows,
but it takes time
routine does not appear overnight

and all at once,
it’s yours for the taking
the sun tanning your new skin
the night testing your new freedom
but, a lazy creature by default,
you spend your time trying to spend your time until
tick, tick
the longest days of the year near the end
and your new-turned-old skin sags so
threatening new routine
but you are so sick of doing nothing
you almost don’t care