A Mother’s Daylight Savings Lament

In days of old
before light required
only a circuit
chores were done by lantern
two hours before breakfast
for all the important work
of the day required
the light of the sun

A race against
the golden chariot
until long shadows lit our way home
to a simple supper by candlelight
with stories and songs
around the fire
until wicks
burned down to darkness

But not today
when alarms chime
the sun high in the sky
we block our eyes from blindness
on our way to buildings
artificially lit
lacking windows
unable to see
the fire that ticks away the day

For we have no need of her
our watches provide us all
until such time our labors cease

If we are lucky
the last of nature’s glow guides us to our vehicle
we travel though lighted darkness
to music lessons, grocery shopping, soccer games
lit by strobes so bright they block the moon and stars

Then finally home to abandoned darkened shells
we flip the switch and make our way
to metal boxes
bright lit and cold
in which we hope for a miracle
that there will be something good for dinner