Time

And how does your time go, today ?

     

I sit silently, watching the sand as it slips through the hour glass, each falling grain, a clanging lament of dreams yet reached..of bonds that have been broken, of memories faded.

I am beyond the ignorance of youth, yet short of the wisdom of age.

 Still, in the silence I hear the bell of time, a bell that chimes but once.

 

  It is a sound I have never heard before. It whispers a truth I cannot deny.

Time,

the great healer of wounds, the thief of our innocence, the first flower of spring, the last leaf of autumn.

 

You fool us when we are young. You whisper, " You will live forever."

You trick us into wasting our days, by shielding our ears from the chimes.

It is then, when the leaves begin to change their color, you shout..

"It is not a game! "

 

I damn you for your constant movement !

I damn you for fading the memories of my youth !

I damn you for the plans I saved for tomorrow !

I damn you for reminding me I am mortal !

 

No..I do not fear you, or your passing.

 

Oh, but alas..

I sit and watch the hour glass..

Reviews

[Jenny Davis]

This is magical, Rain...a true poem to reflect on life's mysteries, TIME.
This line was excellent:
"I am beyond the ignorance of youth, yet short of the wisdom of age.".......I hear that ;)

I think many can relate to this......brilliant job, my friend :)

[James K. Blaylock]

This is so painfully true... as tomorrow we may not be able to do anything more. It makes me think of the sweet song by Jim Croce - Time in a Bottle.

[Vittoria Dmitri-Alighie..]

Very expressive. I enjoyed reading it. I got caught in the emotion of the poem. Do you ever publish?

[Chad Wesley Allbrett]

Forceful, honest, and well written. Shakespeare hated time's wounds as well.
I wonder at what age we start to notice time, I'd have to think about it in my case.
-Anyway nice work.

[G. Harrison Quay]

Another brilliant piece Rain. I imagine all of us on the South side of forty or so can relate perfectly. I know I can.
Excellent work as usual.

Jerry

[Dezaraye]

Ray, this is a beautiful, beautiful piece. I love the wistfullness at the beginning and then the power of the middle and again bookending it with the last stanza, "Oh, but alas ... I sit and watch the hour glass." This is a well crafted piece! I love it.

[Polly Lewis]

This is outstanding Rain. Every word written from your soul and touching mine. It tugs at my memories, reminding me that we must never waste a moment. Your poems are always amazingly insightful my friend, but this one is absolutely spot on.

A truly exceptional piece.

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Watching the hour glass is a waste of time HA!!!! Sorry, got a bit carried away with myself there. We all think about it, but I have never heard it expressed in this way. There must be a hundred different cliche's about it, like; a watched kettle never boils? You have put time itself into perspective and that my friend is no mean feat...be proud of this piece as a lot of time went into the writing of it. Congrats Ray, bloody brlliant!
Helen xxx

[April Child]

You fool us when we are young. You whisper, " You will live forever."
You trick us into wasting our days, by shielding our ears from the chimes.

Very true. I wonder what we would have done different had we been aware of the chimes... maybe we would have just been more stressed, running around trying to pack more in. Maybe those years of our youth were precious just because we were blissfully unaware, full of hope and optimism. In later years hope is more precious because you have to refind it after life's knocks but when you do regardless of the passing of the sand, it is a beautiful thing.

Nice, thought provoking, thanks.

[Jaclyn]

Did you post this already? It seems familiar to me....

Well, in any case, I still loved it. Simple, yet profound. Great write!

[Andrea A. Wentz]

Pure beauty itself. I especially enjoyed the first stanza. It really set the theme and flow for the rest of the piece. And though some of it may sound angry, it's a peaceful poem. Relaxing and soothing, for afterall, who can do anything to stop the flow of time?