KC Bosch’s most recent poem to appear here was Holding Tank 911 (July 2014).

Reading Is a Bad Influence
By KC Bosch

In 1963 Geoff Workman
spent 105 days living
in a cave below
the English peat.

Free from the sun
and a clock he got to
set his own rhythm,
nights and days
determined by his
bedside lamp.

Staying awake
from as few as six
to over fifty-three hours
at a stretch,
doing as he pleased.

Reading his story
I was jealous
of his freedom
to stay up that late
and then sleep as long
as he wanted.

These days there are
many mornings
I wish
I could say,
Do not disturb
this is an experiment.