My life, five days a week

This is my life, five days a week.
I wake up
Bleary-eyed and resembling a zombie
Trying to remember a strange dream.
It comes to my mind for an instant,
Then quickly eludes me.

Finding my way downstairs
Somehow.
Eating breakfast with my brother
While we phone our dad,
Who’s at work,
But makes time for us anyway.

School is starting now.
My least favorite class –
How does she expect us to take notes when she is cold-calling us?
My favorite class –
Everyone participates.
No need to resort to dirty tactics.

After school, there’s a list of things I need to do.
Visit office hours,
Go for a run,
Get DVDs from the library,
Come back home in time for club meetings.

“Homework for each subject should take thirty minutes every night.”
No, for me it doesn’t.
I work at a snail’s pace.
But this snail tries to work as fast as she can.
The small possibility of finishing early to watch a movie
Is strong in her mind.

On good days:
I complete my homework,
Usually around nine o’clock.
Triumphant, my parents and I gather around the television.
Films on school nights are usually ninety minutes.

On not-so-good days:
I stay up late studying for the test the next day,
My brother working right next to me.
Thankfully, I often leave the kitchen table first.
And fall straight to sleep.

Elizabeth Choi