Marking time

when we are in joy
when it’s as if we purr
with a good book and hot coffee
when our longed for break comes
the time subjectively speeds

in moments of displeasure or pain
we watch the second hand tick tick
tick us off
the time subjectively slows

me, I have a conundrum
it is a period of mandatory displeasure and pain
a payment for past purchases of pleasure
and so, I wish for father time
to quicken his pace
and perhaps just touch on the salient points
of this rough patch
but of course, that done,
it brings me only closer
to borrowed time.