Coming Compulsion

We check every detail,
the depth of the kerb,
the unevenness of the grass.
We map the end of the sidewalk,
the rocks on the path,
plot the sugar content
of our blood, the presence
or absence of insects,
the degree of level
in our shoulder-blades.
We inhibit our fat,
the way we climb out of bed,
protect our arms,
keep our legs from crossing
guard the position of our heads
as we lay down to sleep.
We wear simple clothing
worrying about how easy
our shirts are to remove,
we shield our pants from
body fluid.
The next ten years
stays in our minds,
and beyond that,
the next ten.