the roofers at morn

the roofers wake me up in the morning

with their vulgar shouts

banging their ladders against the house

“hey!” “yo!” “watch it!”

the leaves are brown and crumpled

squirrels scurry in the eaves

the roofers raise high their ladders

banging against the house

the garbage trucks are moaning now

the trash men crash the cans around

with their vulgar shouts

“hey!” “yo!” “goddammit!”

the radio blaring full blast

with the news I don’t want to hear

the car alarms begin their morning screeching

“iki-iki-iki-iki wail wail wail!”

sometimes it seems the whole damn world conspires

to wake me up

even my dear wife wakes me up

“I’m leaving now!”

impossible to get back to sleep

listen!

I moved to this neighborhood for a little peace and quiet!

turn it down, blast it!

so I grudgingly roll out of bed

yank on my robe, look in the mirror

must I shave today?

no, blast it!

the whole world – the roofers, the sirens, the radios,

the trucks, the squirrels and the neighbors

even my lovely wife wakes me up, gratuitously,

to kiss me goodbye

--Ross Bender