you wait some more

the water won't boil.
you look away
for a minute or two.
still, no bubbles.
you take a walk to
the back door and throw
the dog a ball
across the yard.
he stares at you
and paws at your leg.
he wants you to get it.
you go back into
the kitchen.
still no boiling water.
you turn the heat up higher.
you look at your watch.
not a minute has passed.
you look at your
reflection in the toaster,
you brush your eyebrows
down, you look at your
teeth, that little
blemish on your chin.
finally, you hear
the water cascading over
the side of the boiling
pot. you throw
the tri-colored penne
pasta into the cauldron.
you wait some more.