From the collection And Don’t Come Back, 2021.
The Same Evening Again Tonight
The flickering light
over the chipped enamel sink
The red gingham curtains
that don’t quite close
no matter how hard you pull them
there is always that gap
You set the last plate on the shelf
click off the blasted light
walk out of the room
In the shadows you leave behind
a blurry line
pale and green
stripes the floor
pulsing like the blood in your veins
only faster. The bar across the street
is open for business now
the green neon arrow aimed at its door
flashes on.
flashes off.
flashes on.
flashes off.
flashes on.
8/2/20
Claudia McGill Writes Poetry, Did You Know That? 
This made me feel defeated….
Sometimes the feeling (oftentimes, I should say, as I get older) comes over me that what is the point, and then, well, I try to ignore it and figure out a way to feel better. Maybe this person will get out their favorite book and read while eating ice cream…
There is a weariness to this poem that is communicated not just through your words but also through the rhythm but the pulse of the neon light and the repetition in the closing lines suggests life will plod onwards for this person and hopefully improve.
Sometimes I think it is so depressing to think of the sameness of so many days, and yet on other days, it’s comforting. Here, I hope maybe it’s a function of being tired out or having a lot on their mind, and with some rest or some kind of recharging, the balance will shift. SOmetimes I think plodding along is actually hopeful (since at least you are not actually giving up and coming to a halt!)
I think perhaps there is a difference in a routine that is of your own choosing, as those can be comfortable, and being stuck in a monotonous loop that is imposed on us, which can feel suffocating.
Yes, I totally agree. The element of control is what is important in how you look at it.