At the Clock Repair Shop

The sign above the door reads:
"Clock Repairs. Cash only,
No refunds. No guarantees."
The watchmaker stands motionless
among pews of watching clocks.

I enter the back workroom.
It smells of brass, oil, dust,
and old pigeon droppings.
I offer him my broken mantel clock.

He opens the back panel, 
leaving the mechanism undisturbed.
He listens for something deeper.
"What did this old clock witness?"

The room holds its breath.
Every clock leans in a little closer.
Pendulums hesitate mid-swing.
Even the dust stops settling.

The opened clock reeks of smoke.
Its hands stuck on high noon.
He removes a speck of blood
from the cracked enamel face.

He gently strokes the hands.
He slides the minute hand aside.
He whispers through the keyhole—
Something inside creaks, then sighs.

He finds a key, left inside.
Pauses before winding the spring.
As the resistance slowly yields,
something inside begins unwinding.

The hands begin to move.
But there is no ticking.
Only the room, is counting down.
As the hands sneak backwards.

"Not broken!" he says.
"Only stuck in remembering—
the wrong moment — the one
you tried to forget."

He closes the clock case.
The catch clicks into place.
Yet, the clock feels lighter,
as if relieved of its burden.

All around, the other clocks stir—
one by one, faces gleaming.
Bearing witness to their skipped hours.
Guarding their unfinished conversations.

One remembers a wedding.
A pocket watch wears a funeral.
One never forgave Tuesday.
One expects a telegram.
Another misplaces every April.
All outlived their owners.

None agreed on what time to show.
All agreed on what they witnessed.
That is why they keep ticking,
Long after everyone leaves the shop.

The watchmaker returns my clock.
It is still slightly warm to the touch.
"Don't wind it again, just yet."
"Let it forget you — first."

timelyric

♡Like0

Poem

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.