The sun begins its slow crawl from out of the bleak black horizon,

Casting its golden light upon all that it touches.

It reaches out like a lover

to caress the trees,

Now the squirrels,

The chipmunks,

The grass,

The flowers,

And

The birds,

Who now begin their cheery singing,

Whisting,

“Awake now world!”

When the sun hits me it,

It is not so graceful.

No,

It’s rays fry me to a charred crisp.

It screams in heavy metal screeches,

“GET UP!”

An incessant song in my head

As I hit the snooze button

Again

And

Again

And

Once more.

Then I think of the love the world has to offer,

The promises each tomorrow brings.

I think of my education,

And how lucky I am as a woman to have one at all.

I think of the smiles of my loved ones,

And the way that they could be gone in an instant,

Eradicated from the earth’s slippery grasp.

Mostly

I just think of my morning tea.

And I force myself out of bed.

Happy to greet one more day,

Singing along to the bird songs.

Get up,

Get up,

Get up.