Racing the Machine

Machines,
even the simple ones,
are meant to work.
I'm not a machine,
so I avoid work 
whenever possible.

The pendulum
does its job too well.
It never seems to rest—
or even grow tired.
It just keeps moving
back and forth, 
back and forth,
ticking away the minutes of life.
Unlike human beings,
it never seems to slow down.

I am not a machine,
not even a simple one,
and I feel myself slowing
as the pendulum quickens.
I cannot match its pace.
Too soon, I'll be left behind,
and machines will 
take over the world.

~Elise Skidmore ©2024