the waiting room

Welcome to this waiting room.
Prepare your mind to trip and land on breathing,
counting seconds as your lungs balloon,
unable to make it natural again.

Welcome to the dragging hours.
Prepare for the pencil-shaving moments of life,
blown off the paper without a mark,
the varying blandesses out of sight and mind.

Welcome to painstaking analysis.
Prepare for your life to become a cold case,
the same forlorn question and angles-of-attack,
data collection stalled.

Welcome to this waiting room.
Prepare to understand that all virtues run out,
until you’re a kaleidoscope of contortions
and patience gives way to catatonia.