Tub Time Poem by Nika McGuin

Home at last
from a long day's work
two jobs, house-work, and her own business
to describe her as hardworking
would be an understatement

When the work is done
she runs herself a hot bubble bath
fills the claw-foot porcelain tub
to the rim, and slides in

Ahh...
finally, she can relax
she takes out a book
and begins to read it

Before long,
there's a knock at the door
without awaiting a response
her husband marches in
with some tale or inquiry
every day the same pattern

He leaves
and the woman returns to her book
only to doze off minutes later

Just as her book is about to drop
into the now chilled bath water,
from which all soap-bubbles have popped,
she wakes up, rises from the tub
and prepares to face the next day

Every day the same pattern