Earplugs

Eyes follow hoisted elderly,
the drag to vans.
Ears attuned to the crowds
who speak of those with nothing to lose but time.
The hourglass with mere specks of sand left to lose to gravity
might consider those dustings most precious.
The altruism doesn’t register.

The young shout unarrestable lines
Or rationally suggest you took the day off

I default to watching and listening
Quartz domes do that for you

Suddenly, a dash of yellow
Like a grain of gold in the pan

I see another
Firmly lodged in your ears
A purple protrusion I want to pluck like a grape

You are all wearing them
so you can’t hear the plea
you can’t hear the rebuttal
you can’t be reminded to take the day off