when all of the clocks in your house
are a little fast
or a little slow
then there’s five to ten minutes every night
when it’s almost midnight
it might be midnight
it’s probably past midnight
no one really knows.
I do this to confuse the ghosts
who spend all day preparing to leap out
right at the stroke of the big hand over the little hand
or five ‘til twelve
or five after twelve
or some true midnight
not shown on any clock in this house.
Holly Day’s writing has recently appeared in Analog SF, Cardinal Sins, and New Plains Review, and her published books include Music Theory for Dummies and Music Composition for Dummies. She currently teaches classes at The Loft Literary Center in Minnesota, Hugo House in Washington, and The Muse Writers Center in Virginia.
Published 10/31/24