It Embraces Me
Monica Schwafaty
Here is the place that reminds me that it is time to get to work
whether it is beautiful or gloomy outside
whether I feel tired or energized
A small desk with a comfy chair, my office
A computer sits on top
Waiting for me to start
It has become one with the desk
It is a simple desk, nothing fancy
But it is much nicer than the one in my classroom
It welcomes me every day
I spend more time here now than anywhere else
It never gets sick of me
And maybe I should hate it
But I don’t
it sits facing the ocean
what else could I ask for
This desk, my office, has become my classroom
it welcomes my students, my kids
it’s where we laugh and keep the bond alive
it’s where I realize how much I miss them
it’s where we go on a tangent and engage in deep discussions
it’s where my kids amaze me
It is an unassuming desk, and it looks cold and distant
That’s misleading, though
It has become my haven
It’s where I’m becoming a writer again, after so many years
of holding it in
the words storm out
This desk
It embraces my inner feelings, dreams, and desires, and
It keeps them safe until I’m ready.