(photo credit: Arnoud Jansen)
lazy summer heat
stops time
papa naps in shade
(photo credit: Arnoud Jansen)
lazy summer heat
stops time
papa naps in shade
An ornate time piece on a wrist
jeweled
shiny, elegant chrome chronograph
or matte finish
functional
practical, purposeful chronometer
A puppeteer’s handcuff
controlling movement subtly
directing thoughts subliminally
a marionette to be pushed, pulled, directed
Steady tick, tick, tick
hypnotizes
activity done mindlessly
going through motions without attention
glazed eyes
striving to make it from one
paycheque to the next
without breaking the strings of the masterminder
oblivious to the pull
of the masterminder
Second hand sweeps
behind the minute
behind the hour
striving to move ahead
but wired into place
hour leads
minute follows
second lapses
wired into place
pulled along by the others
gears and cogs manipulating movement
invisible strings manipulating movement
time manipulating movement
World focused on clocks and calendars
great energy expended keeping up to the time keepers
Obsession with timepieces
and calendars is restricting
what is this competition that has been thrust upon wrists,
on walls, on clock towers in time squares
town squares
Shirk wrist pieces, cell phones
anything that strives to own your being
Pay no attention to these measurements
these pushes and pulls
prods to direct you
Allow no thoughts of time to settle upon you
consume you
control you
and watch your mind settle
rest
and give birth to new ideas
I have already lost them
it happened a long time ago
one day a decision was made
there was no turning back
Reality is harsh
denial a trap
the sooner I find acceptance
healing can begin
Little boy optimism
little girl hugs
drifting away ephemerally
like the puff of a dandelion
blowing in the wind
Dreams die hard
I do not want to let go
this is not how it is supposed to be
I want a fairy tale
a castle in the sky
I want promises of happily ever after
When did it happen
my world falling in upon itself
when did the yellow brick road
become a bed of hot coals
Every phone ringing
brings a fear of the worst
every siren
a racing heart
A pasted on smile
a mask for the world to see
so difficult to accept
you are lost to me
When did I lose myself
how can I get her back
If I don’t have hope
what is left
seconds
less than a minute
time it takes to cross threshold
from one room to another
life changes
voice stolen
gone
unexpected words
spoken in anger
have power to stop any motion
power to steal any utterance
vocalization
a thing of the past
articulation arrested
stunted
swallowed in disbelief
frantic heartbeat
racing thoughts
no sound escapes lips
seared together
saliva fled along with speech
flaming cheeks
follow flash of insight
no rebuttal will be justly heard
knowledge of necessary decision
crystal clear
in order to save
authentic self
How easily we fall
into thinking we are different
special
We are wonderfully individual!
But when different
equals alone
we are wrong
Alone we lose our strength
alone we fall prey to
our own false thoughts and misunderstanding
Alone we become victims of inner fears
Deep seated desires and urges
plague our thoughts
cloud our eyes
run through our veins
We are unique
We are not different
We each share a story that winds
its thread through all willing to listen
Each beating heart
recognizes the call of another
The beat stretches from the beginning
of time
and touches us all
It’s a beautiful song
we are meant to share
and sing joyously together
A brief meeting
left me sad
a wistful cloud
following a flurry of activity
She arrived unexpectedly
colorful
purple
vibrant
and chatted rapidly
fidgeting
unable to stand still
not a moment of silence
Her arms moved like a captured bird
fluttering
floundering
feathers ruffled
She had grown beautiful
since our last encounter
I wanted to speak
soundless words
left my lips
stampeded by her staccato speech
trampled
As quickly as she arrived
she disappeared
a rush of good byes
no meeting of the eyes
out the door
an amethyst whirlwind departure
I wanted to laugh
to cry
to retain some of the dynamic energy
but the moment passed
I remained
deflated
the buoyancy of the encounter
drifting away
with the closing of the door
(internet photo)
rushing
rushing
escaping time
wind whistles through air
siren song accompaniment
for racing heart
chasing balance
high heels and oxfords
march swiftly
through their appointments
and agendas
trying not to step on toes
or become scuffed
time escaping
slipping by
quick sip of bitter coffee
gone cold
waiting
ignored
warmth evaporated
time slipping by without thought or care
for what we do
toys tossed carelessly in a corner
building blocks in disarray
aging parents
ignored
waiting
for a visitor
time passes no matter what
pop tarts and cinnamon buns
robust wine
talcum powder
time witnesses our fickle tastes and desires
what’s new becomes old
becomes new
becomes old again
cycle continues with each generation
we try to grasp it
save it
hoard it
yet it remains elusive
here but not here
watches and calendars
timex and rolex
bring order to our day
connect the dots
compartments
squares
little boxes to fill in
with soft leaded pencil
so changes can be erased
more time filled
no permanent marks left behind
continually chased
continually used
measured time
surrendered time
nap time
down time
it’s all about time
yours until the end of time
High Alert sixth sense
quantum physics
theory of relativity
incomprehensible
I’m not a scientist
but I know you need me
different province
different time zone
I feel your hurt
feel your pain
Birth cord not severed upon delivery
blood bleeds red
pulse skips
touches both
voodoo doll empathy
I’m walking along and suddenly I hurt
I think of you and know
there is pain
I do not know why
but I feel it just the same
We’re on this journey together
whether you know it or not
defying scientific principle
we remain connected