Procrastination Process

By Ru Yi

“I’ll do it tomorrow,”

Said the student casually.

Little did she know

Tomorrow meant who-knows-when.

Tomorrow arrived and left.

The task slipped the student’s mind.

Like a robber after a theft,

She carried on without a care in the world.

Two busy weeks later,

Her leader sent out the dreaded

But much needed reminder.

Oh, how the climax began!

“Woe!” wailed the student.

“I should not have waited.

I should have been more prudent!”

Panic crept in stealthily.

In came the desperation.

Out went the laziness.

In came the concentration.

Out went the distractions.

Late mornings turned to late nights.

Coffee was a requirement

For her to continue to write

Her undrafted poem.

The deadline loomed nearer

The anxiety spiked like an increased heartbeat

With every shed tear,

The student pulled something together.

From this lesson she learned

To never procrastinate again.

After all she had sacrificed and burned.

This she could not do once more.

But when next time arrived,

All previous vows went down the drain.

Back she dived

Into putting it off.

After all,

It wouldn’t be called procrastination 

If it weren’t done like that.

Because that’s the procrastination process.