Keeping Time Throughout the Ages

The often tragic tale of the Astronomical clock in Prague...

Keeping Time Throughout the Ages
More Poems from Prague >>> It was in its time a wonder Which people flocked to see And the figures they danced as the clock it rang In the heart of Prague city. It was an engineering feat in its time That made the city proud But its aldermen were jealous folk And a copy to be made would not be allowed. The story goes they hatched a plan Sent men to his house at night to catch by surprise And they caught him, bound him, and set their mission to do They gouged out both his eyes And now as he could not see A deed horrific done for prides sake He would never be able A better clock for another town to make But he who laughs last laughs they say He is the one who laughs well And he asked one day to go to the clock So goes the tale they tell And a lever he removed Which caused the clock to stop still And it couldn't be fixed long after he died For few men had his skill. Figurines: they dance around the clock face And some look to chase the moon As the time is told in many ways So watchers know if they are too late or too soon From modern time to Italians hours To the signs of the zodiac To the sun and the moon as they orbit the earth To get all in sequence they had the knack And on the striking of the hour A Skeleton of Death rings the bell To remind us all that time is ticking Life is not forever... live it well. The Turk he stands as an infidel To remind all that though safe they are And while safe from danger they might now be The enemy is away not far. And the vain man looks in a mirror A trait they then did despise To warn of vanity and pride How the world looked in their eyes! What would they think if they saw today The fashion stores in the Palladium shops Which promote beauty and the ego and selfishness The streets are a fashion parade that never stops And finally, he stands, they Jew A warning against usury holding a bag of gold Those who gave so much to that town What a fate for them was yet to be told And after that horrific holocaust The image of the Jew they felt change they must So they shaved off his beard, he was a Jew no more Now it was politically correct and just! The clock it grew with each century They added to it something new One wonders in this digital age What more to it can they do? And though old and technologically plain Because of its history and fame People watch and wonder as it works Like those centuries before... the same... The Astronomical Clock is a must see if ever one is in Prague. Of legends many, it was the cutting edge of technology in It's day, for which its designer paid with his eyesight.

Reviews

[Maria F. Rojas]

true, many things going on the world, different people with their prides, selflessness, and watch how things turn out each day. love ur writing, keep up.

[Greg the Bard]

The story is old and could be true. However I like to think (as do most of would)the better. Well done

[Legion]

Well that was a terrific tale of the clock. Well done. I am highly impressed. Bravo!