i bought
a watch because
i wanted a separation
between me
and the screen
too easy to
check the phone
for the time
see a notification
and lose hours

i bought
a watch to be
in the moment
to experience
the world wobbling
around me
to admire
the art hanging
the people barely
hanging on
as they trundle
about their day

the fucking watch
with its incessant
ticktickticking
constricting
as it clings
to my wrist
a constant reminder
of every second wasted
anxiety inducing
motherfucking watch

now i leave
my watch
on the coffee table
i don’t really
give a shit
what time it isn’t
at what point
do we go from
full autonomy
to simple cogs
regulated down
to the increment

i fear the truth
of freedom
is it’s simply
sleight of hand
an illusion where
we pretend our
enslavement isn’t
as much self enforced
as a product of
the power we give
to socioeconomic
pandering

near as i can tell
we all end up in a box
we just venerate
certain people
to feel entitled
to a fancier headstone
and that doesn’t
sit right at all
as the fucking watch
keeps on ticking and
the notifications keep
us nice and docile