THREE-WHEELED FUN MACHINE

On Monday,

by the house near the intersection,

I saw a three-wheeled fun machine

abandoned in the grass.

 

It seemed so lonely there,

its handlebar turned to one side

like open arms waiting for

a rider to come astride.

 

As I walked by,

it spoke to me,

“Today may be Monday,

time for work,

but I’m here to remind you

without time for play

everyone turns into a jerk.”

 

My mind lept to the way

work is now structured

with cell phone as leashes,

no one is untethered.

 

So even when trying to play,

work can be calling,

not far away.

 

And then we wonder in

C-suites

and

boardrooms,

why our people look so tired

and

seem to be going through the motions.

 

And so I resolve to heed

the three-wheeled fun machine’s call

to not be a jerk

and

plan time for fun

as well as

for work.