Deb Rosenbaum: Telling Time
Deb Rosenbaum was first influenced in the arts by her father, a plumber who made sculptures. Her art career has taken her across America. Upon her return to Denver, she became the Director of Visual Arts at Denver School of the Arts for 15 years.
Deb wrote this piece through the Denver Public Library workshop “Write On” — made virtual this year. The inspiration came from trying on her wedding dress from 1981 while cleaning out her closet during the pandemic… and thinking about time.
“You feel like you’re living the same days over and over and over again,” she said.
Deb Rosenbaum, 2020
Telling Time
Life, taking on an odd ritualistic fog,
living in Groundhog Day.
Upon waking, eyes lock on the clock.
What day is it? Is it….?
Dressing in whatever I had on yesterday.
8:00 a.m. walk across the living room
He’s in the same spot on his computer,
And receives his morning kiss.
Coffee, one hour Internet read,
Studio work through noon.
6 p.m. dinner in front of PBS,
the only news I will permit
and it’s all bad.
And on and on.
For diversion, cleaning out a closet.
Joslins box on the top shelf in the corner.
My antique Victorian wedding dress,
Carefully wrapped and folded
in a Joslins box from 1981.
Wrestled on, a 4” gap in the back,
Not even close to being buttoned.
Another way to tell time
in a time when there is no time.