To Each Our Own Death Row Poem by Bryan Corbett

what IS the difference between
him over there
and me over here?

sure, he's sitting in a prison cell
reading a book and watching
the clock
and listening to its every
tick
    tock
tick
    tock
tick
    tock

and, yes, I am sitting in the comfort
of my living room, watching mindless
television and drinking a glass of wine
sure, the bars of my prison cell might be
a little easier to ignore,
but, really?
aren't we each sitting on our own Death Row?
aren't we both heading toward the same end?
isn't it really only a matter of time and
geography?
as the clock laughs
at us all,
everyone

tick
          tock
tick
                  tock
tick
                          tock