Eight minutes before class begins

The clock on the wall ticks by reminding you
to stay in motion. The watch on your wrist
hasn’t worked in three weeks, yet you still wear it
because even fully clothed, you feel naked without.
The girl with the red rimmed glasses taps her pen
on an empty page, as the boy beside her taps
an imaginary kick pedal to the tune of the song
that’s been stuck in his head just as long
as you’ve worn a watch that doesn’t work.
Everyone is doing their best
not to fall behind.