Published in the Winter edition of Capsule Stories

The steam rose
from the coffee mug
tufting in and out
of existence

One of those
February days when
the heat just
can’t keep up

and the effort required
to leave the warm cocoon
of bedsheets
was Herculean

Crawling back in and
burrowing into the blankets and
mentally adding to the growing
list of things to do, I

feel a weariness that caffeine
cannot touch
Maybe I can post that mail tomorrow
Maybe I don’t have to clean the floor

Maybe I’ll just
stay in bed
an hour
(day
week
month)
more