A Bad Day

(1)
I overslept and missed my train,
slipped on the sidewalk
in the pouring rain,
sprained my ankle,
skinned my knees,
broken my glasses,
lost my keys,
got stuck in the elevator,
it wouldn’t go,
kicked it twice and stubbed my toe,
bought a pen that didn’t write,
took it back and had a fight,
went home angry,
locked the door,
crawled into bed,
couldn’t take any more.

(2)
The bread was stale,
it was four days old.
The milk was sour.
The coffee was cold.
The butter was rancil.
The steak was tough.
The service was dreadful.
The waiter was rough.
My bill was huge.
His tip was small.
I’m sorry I went to that place at all.

(from Jazz Chauts, by Carolyn Graham)