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Poetry

At My Leisure

by Steven Kent

Leisure is the mother of Philosophy, some say;
If it’s true my future’s looking great. Oh
Man, with all this free time on my hands most every day,
Surely I’ll become another Plato.

Doing nothing all day long is quite a lot of work –
Praying that my genie in her bottle
Comes out quick and with a fairly firm-but-gentle jerk
Turns me to a modern Aristotle.

Fully rested, heavy thoughts all worked out in my head,
Then my metaphysics might endure. Us
Humans need a teacher; when at last I leave my bed,
I’ll be right up there with Epicurus.

Note: My muse won’t visit if I cannot hear her voice,
So I beg you please to be discreet. She
Takes an all-or-nothing stance and leaves me little choice
Yet I yield, that I may be like Nietzsche.

Leisure is the mother of Philosophy, you bet;
Humbly will I play my modest part. The
Peace and quiet I require might seem a lot, and yet
I need these if I’m to rival Sartre.

Steven Kent is the poetic alter-ego of writer, musician, and Oxford comma enthusiast Kent Burnside. His work appears in Light, Lighten Up Online, Snakeskin, and OEDILF. Please visit kentburnside.com.