In the early New York pre-market hours,
the clock doth tick so slow.
A trader wakes in a sunrise bid
as NYSE volume prepares the order flow.

Forsooth, soon the opening bell will ring,
and volatility will hit the tape.
And a trader prays their average gain outweighs
the loss they are to give away.

In the chartlight hours,
every speculator knows
an edge — momentum, more.
But the data says
we are all overbought,
and that nothing, ever,
is for sure.

Because the offers will drop
into the buyer’s tide.
The short squeeze, and the always-late,
all rushing in for the ride.

And in the IV crush of time and sales,
a single market order crosses onto the wire.
And somewhere, a poor trader prays
his options contract won’t expire

(worthless)