Sonnet to My Retirement

Retirement of Dr. Wm. W. Baker of Post Off. Dept., 7/21/25 — Library of Congress. public domain.

Precious hours once sold for fickle service,
with blithe promises of perks or passions,
vanish over years of lapsed observance,
as transient success accrues scarce ration.
Annals of vain tasks, lists to do or done,
and logs of effort entered in ledgers,
tally work as soon finished, then next begun,
while dull days pass in dead-end endeavors.
After labor ceases to support worth,
when void ambition earns a weary shrug,
the time’s arrived when I’ll…