Where Does The Hour Go? Poem by Donal Mahoney

In the fall we lose an hour
in most of the United States
when we have to
turn our clocks back.

This is not the case
in Hawaii or parts of Arizona
and all of Puerto Rico,
Guam, American Samoa
and the Virgin Islands.

The story is folks there
have enough sun
in summer and don't
want any more and
I can't blame them
in light of melanomas,
climate change, and
the zika virus.

But only recently I learned
any state can choose
to leave their clocks alone
year ‘round but if they make
the change they must do it
according to federal law.

Is this a matter of States' Rights?
My brother Darryl and I
and our other brother Darryl
may be the only citizens
concerned about this
and we're hoppin' mad.
Have our representatives
in either party taken a stand?
This is an election year, you know.

In spring, experts say
we get the same hour back
when we turn our clocks ahead
and once again give melanomas,
climate change and the zika virus
a greater chance to proliferate.

Doesn't anyone else want to know
what happens to the hour
in the six months or so it's
on the lam and can't to be found?

Where does it go? Is it monitored?
Are my brother Darryl and I
and our other brother Darryl
the only ones who want to know?