THAT period of life 2

I dig through my Google Drive,

pulling up old essays from college,

wondering if any have potential.

Too formal for a blog post,

too stuffy for an article,

too simple for a decent journal.

I discard them immediately,

useless for the real world.

15 hours a week

for Zoom classes.

12 hours a week

for fencing club practices.

10 hours a week

for general chemistry homework.

5 hours a week

for Latin and Greek translations and exercises.

168 hours a week

wondering if covid will ruin everything.

The sticky note board

at the library coffee shop

is a curious thing.

Smiley faces and cliché inspirations

beside a couple crude drawings

and thirst notes for the Italian barista

with dark olive skin, curly hair, and winning smile.

The campus boasts recycling receptacles

for cans and bottles,

so students feel like

they are helping the environment

by downing another can of beer.