Time Peace

Dad collected clocks; meticulously winding, checking, synchronising.

Marvelling  in the mechanism, ‘listen,’ he beseeched, and held us still,

as simultaneous hours struck irreplaceable moments.

 

With reckless disregard we hurtled  through time;

complex histories mocking Dad’s imparted  precision.

Still he held us – a permanent pivot in a plethora of progress.

 

Alarm bells rang when  Dad’s clocks collected dust;

A family epoch ending, we watched his equilibrium tip.

Though pendulums slow, time must pass. We were ready at last.

 

Still now, we listened, and held our father close as time wound down.

Making Tracks

Columns of beaten Crustacea, we shift across hot sand

carrying each one pinch determination to abandon land

throw anxious glances back to check we’re unobserved

in our last gasp endeavour to stage a smooth return.

Curved carapaces arching toward the pulling tide

cracked pincers raised, we dance our sidewards glide

treading warily, alien slapping waves in this aftermath

of countless million years without the saline bath.

Yet as murk and weed permeate marks of failure and despair

we leave the crooked path as if we were never there.