" by Singaporean poet and journalist Grace Chua is a poignant exploration of the overwhelming nature of motherhood and domestic life. First published in the Quarterly Literary Review Singapore
: The poem's structure often mirrors the "counting down" of time. The final lines describe her looking out the window, counting hours "till all the clocks break free," suggesting a hope for an eventual release from her daily cycle. : The overall tone is one of weariness and frustration countdown by grace chua