Jury Duty --Waiting Room

I.

Some buried in books

Some stuck to their phones.

Doing what they can

To drown out

the little world

they’re forced

to sit in

so they can escape to

a better place.

II.

A sea of heads

cast down

In the crowded room.

Nobody speaks

as the din of silence

gets loud.

III.

Smartphones,

books,

headsets,

and notebooks

in their laps.

Is the new norm.

IV.

Their typical day

Interrupted

For a duty

They don’t want

To serve.

V.

The dulling mind

from registering

the state of boredom

that looms above all.

VI.

They wait for the call

over the PA.

Will their number

be called?

Or will they be

Dismissed?

Life has come

To a stand still

As the wait is

Agony of a dull

Switchblade.

VII.

All they can do?

Hope not to be called.

Hope this will end soon.

VIII.

Within, they cry mercy

To end this wait.

Within they worry

About uncertainty

Caused

By this civic

Duty.

IX.

Some get antsy

Others, frigid

As time marches on

And the PA

Remains silent

Even the

Smartphones,

Books,

Headset, and

notebooks

Can’t keep them

Entertained.

X.

So long

The wait

In all its boredom

And soul-sucking

Nature

Can weigh heavily

XI.

And minds that want to be free…

But the wait continues

And the sea of heads

Remain cast down

Waiting…

…just waiting.