such is time (2012)

she stares at the clock and tick-ticking hands
each independent but so intertwined
moving of their own accord and moving altogether

seconds flit by in immeasurable, moment-type,
blink-of-an-eye tick-ticks
and by the time she realizes one has gone
he's been replaced by another, and another, and another
she wants to scream at them to stop, to stand still so she can count them
but they pass her by nonetheless

minutes are slightly less ephemeral, pausing to linger a while
as if to engage her in casual conversation
surface things, how-do-you-do things, fine-how-are-you things
but still nothing real and as soon as she begins to think of a minute as her own
he is gone and takes their conversation with him

hours, though, hours are much more aware of her fancies
sometimes when they pass through they seem never to want to leave
and though she is tired of them, they are much more tired of themselves
and she cannot but indulge them, allow them to stay a bit longer
yet sometimes they seem to be pulled away from her
as if seconds and minutes have grown jealous and so seduced hours
and run away with them to where she may not follow
it is then that she misses them
replays their exchanges in her head
glances at the chair they sat in and sighs
and stares at the clock some more

tick

tick

tick

until the next one comes along
and eventually, another
seconds, minutes, hours all vying for her attention
and days have never been so jealous.