James McGurk’s poem Spirit Drums appeared here in June 2012.
Ten Minute Morning 3:30 am
By James McGurk
Half-asleep half-slumber
Broken by steel opening
Fluorescent sunrise
Inhuman sound
Chow
Two minutes to reality
32 bodies emerge
From iron beds
In pursuit of
Breakfast
2 brown hardboiled eggs
2 one and 1/8 oz cereal boxes
1 banana
1 8 oz cup coffee
1 8 oz carton milk
2 packs sugar
1 packet cremola
1 plastic spoon per inmate
32 bodies to
Trade share everything
Except “good morning”
Lights out
10 minutes
Half-dream half-slumber
