Is it really necessary

Lately

Numerous people

Have felt compelled

To tell me to “ Breathe”

Which is a way of saying

“Slow down” or “calm down”

“it’ll all be okay”

In my construction life

I am not a calm person

Wide open is my speed

I don’t know how to slow down

And just breathe

Who has time for

Deep intakes of air anyway

All I need

Are short gasps of pure oxygen

Just enough to get me thru

To the next task at hand

Perhaps occasionally exhaled

In colorful expletives

I will retire one day

That’s when I will slow down

That’s when I will breathe

Until then

I choose to run wide open

Trying to curtail my exhales

From turning into F-bombs

While knowing that each day

I maxed out my energy

With the effort I gave

E.A. Fussell

01.30.2020