Sorry I am late

The tragedy is when I am early

Nobody notices it and when on occasion

I am late, I am the centre of attraction.

Put to shame many a time 

I resolved to turn a new leaf.

I listed my morning chores one by one

And worked out my time schedule

To leave at eight finishing my work at home

I calculated I must be up with the lark

In any case, not later than four.

The alarm rang sharp and looking out

I could see the crescent moon still smiling

It had not dawned, it was still dark.

I remembered my resolve to be on time

Rushed out of bed only to be tempted again

Just forty winks then I’ll be fresh

Who will wake up now in this dead of night?

When I finally woke up it had already dawned

The cooker under pressure blew next door

The milkman, newspaper boy had all come and gone.

Rushing through my morning chores

Short cut breakfast and swiggy lunch

Off I rushed, took a cab for today I had decided

I would be before everyone else and before time.

Sure enough when I paid the cab and got off

There was none in the office save the security guy.

He looked at me strangely but did not say a word

I felt jubilant for once I had beaten time.

Ten minutes to go six hundred seconds to go

My mind started the countdown and eyes looked out

For familiar faces of colleagues, but there was none.

The security came up to me to ask if I would stay back long

Intrigued, I looked at him pointing at the calendar

It is Sunday Madam, any special important work?

Sheepishly I grinned making a pretence of being busy

Mentally cursing all at home who did not remind me.

Needless to say that was the first and last day

I was on time, the future had another story to tell.