When No One is Looking

For a light-hearted look at life, this poem originally published in Fauquier Poetry Journal in which it won recognition in a humerous poetry competition for that journal. This is Totally fictitious(except for finding the rubber band)!

When No One is Looking

Dr. Nozaull finds a large blue rubber band
resting innocently upon his immaculate
inlaid cherry desktop.

It must have arrived bundled around the morning’s mail:
the largish pile of scientific journals, medical
advertisements and referral letters stacked neatly
beside the “IN” basket next to the intercom.

No one is looking. No one is standing in the hall
just outside his open door. Temptation.
Idly, he picks up the heavy rubber band,
stretches the strand back and forth between his
manicured fingers and with the practiced snap of a
ten year old boy, lets fly….

The brass framed photograph of his esteemed
departmental director doesn’t even flinch,
although hit squarely between the eyes.

Dr. Nozaull sighs.
With regret he stashes his weapon of youth
between the stethoscope and prescription pad
inside the pocket of his white starched lab coat.
And with a curious sense of accomplishment,
settles back into his leather office chair,
an array of patient charts sorted and ready for his
most astute attention.

c.Darlene Moore Berg