waiting for the bell to ring

waiting for the bell to ring

When I was at school,
sitting in class,
it always seemed to me
that real life must be happening elsewhere,
somewhere, anywhere
outside the classroom,
always beyond the school.

Somedays, I gazed
through the classroom windows,
eyes glazed,
unfocused, distracted.

I was young and impatient,
lusting for life,
always waiting for the bell to ring.

It’s a strange thing,
but leaving school
taught me no new lessons.
I’m older,
but hardly any wiser:
I got the life I longed for,
wanted,
was impatient to begin.

I still sit and gaze
through windows.

Don’t laugh, but
I’m still waiting for the bell to ring.