Since many years ago, my body has forgotten the way it sometimes aches when I had used my arms, how my back could be in pain from bending low to lift the tools I’ve dropped.
Labor isn’t quite the same, sitting in an office chair. Powerpointing don’t require biceps, but my body wants to break apart my diagrams. I’m cursed to think, to talk, to behave, while my muscles wane.
At night I feel the urge to run despite the fact that spreadsheets cannot be bent to fit in holes. My muscles want to work but labor isn’t nine to five, it’s this constant hum, the buzz that never cease.
I want to use my arms.
stirring the leaves —
the impatient northern breeze
wakes a drowsy finch
I used to sleep like this at night
Today Frank Tassone hosts Haibun Monday at dVerse and the topic is labor to honor the labor day in the US.
Björn Rudbergs writings 
I feel you on that spreadsheet in the office chair and specially this line:
My muscles want to work but labor isn’t nine to five, it’s this constant hum, the buzz that never cease.
Thank goodness, today is a holiday. Cheers.
I identified with this piece, too. I think that’s why I like to cook, and to garden. It’s nice to do something with your hands, apart from tapping a keyboard.
Office work is still work. I find the mental stress t be sometimes harder than the physical labor
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It’s like that twitchy feeling you get in your legs when you’re trying to sleep! I love this haibun.
I know what you mean, Björn! I had to stack logs in the log store this afternoon and I really felt it in my back and arms. Toni’s right about the mental stress in an office. Teaching was similar in that respect.
I am painting my deck at this moment, and boy! My back is aching from bending low, never thought it could be a poem as you created.
Love it!
I dodged work around the yard earlier, due to the rain. But I’ll have all the mental and emotional stress I can handle beginning tomorrow. Still, I relate to craving that physical exertion. You portray it so well here!
A perfect ballad for the modern age. We still have carpenters, plumbers and construction workers that do physical labor. But my 30+ years in an office and teaching was barely balanced by hiking and the gym. Now I’m disabled, which makes this poem even more poignant.
Ah, you bring back memories for me Bjorn. Those days when I longed to escape but the work was always pulling me in.
yes office work requires little physical exertion, hence we need to exercise .. nice pic!
I identify with this. During a lifetime of office work, I yearned to be physically active. Well said. We’re not made to sit still all day.
A constant hum seems to be the story of our lives. Even twitching in our sleep at times! Love the photo
We sleep well when we work physically and use our arms! I like the photo of you in bed with books and bears 🙂
I sometimes [ just sometimes] envy when there was rest for everyone. This year I have been fortunate to have a fixed shift to work but the last three years were different. There was no escape from the random emails / tasks coming on phone !
This was a good reflection on both types of labor.