tick tock

 

tick

tock

the game is locked

and nobody else can play

 

yonder spy

his roving I

at rest (but that's his way)

 

hidden springs

to pull his wings

and sails to soar alone

 

hearts to break

and earths to quake

and skies as yet unflown

 

now who's to blame

this gameless game

these rules that won't stay rules

 

by shifts of light

the day plays night

a sage will play the fool

 

a hand, a fist

a rock, a mist

a face, a stream of tears

 

a pit, a pearl

a word, a world

a dream that yawns through years

 

to dance, to know

to be, to grow

to do things till they're done

 

abandon me

and learn to see

the sense of what's begun

 

 

© Michael Fleming

New York, New York

June 1982

 

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