Clocks

The Youth:
The clock's face smirks at me.
It mocks my glare and irks me.
I roll my eyes, it grinds its gears. 
I tap my pen, it tocks and sneers,  
its minute hand a finger
that flips me off and ticks me off...
This class will never end.

The Dead:
The clock is a useless tool, 
only taunting fools who let it,
only making rules that people fuel
by immersing their lives
in stringent time.

The Elder:
The clock 's face pities me.
It stares at me with sympathy.
It counts each white hair on my head.
It counts the lines that branch and spread
across my weary skin.  
It ticks and tricks just like a bomb 
counting down to an epilogue.
It counts my beats like a metronome
And tocks in foreign tongues.
Still, I dread the day 
this torture stops.

The Dead:
The clock is a useless tool,
measuring mortality,
narrowing vitality.
Don't let it tick-tock away 
the waning moments 
and fine components
of your final days.


For Craig's "Talking to Yourself" contest

Copyright © | Year Posted 2013



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Date: 7/17/2013 12:16:00 PM
I see that you won a contest, and am not surprised in the least. Heartfelt congratulations, Heather! ~By the way, did you know that the heather in Highland Lassie is entirely in your honour?
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Date: 7/17/2013 12:13:00 PM
I am glad that I finally found some time to read your brilliant poem! Despite being younger, the clock ticks at a fast pace. I love your personification of the clock! I find the viewpoint of time as a general thing very interesting and deep, especially on those verses written by the dead. I suppose that once a person dies they see things through an entirely different perspective. Though how you came across it without having died is somewhat beyond my ken. Unless you are an amazing poet!
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Date: 7/12/2013 6:24:00 PM
Heather, congrats on your win. Reading this the second time was just as great as the first. A glowing portrait of the elements of time. I think you covered it all... Spectacular :)
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Date: 7/11/2013 10:38:00 PM
an excellent "talking to yourself" winning poem.... Congratulations, always & forever ~ Linda
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Date: 7/11/2013 8:52:00 AM
Well crafted! Congrats on your well deserved win. AO
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Date: 7/9/2013 10:42:00 AM
Heather, a stunning write for this theme. Congrats on your fine win. Warm Smiles, Connie
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Date: 7/9/2013 7:44:00 AM
Heather, congratulations on your big win with this awesome poem, Constance
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Date: 7/9/2013 12:25:00 AM
Congratulations on your win, Heather. Amazing poem of transformation.. ;) *hug ~ Shirley
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Date: 7/9/2013 12:00:00 AM
beautiful timepiece of life's journey, heather... with it's weight in gold!... sweet congrats to you!..:) huggs
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Date: 7/8/2013 2:15:00 PM
I heard Drake read this on his radio blog show......and it is worthy of his praise and all of ours!! Congratulations to you, Heather!
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Date: 7/4/2013 5:42:00 PM
Heather - I heard this read on Drake's show this morning...Of course, I didn't have time to take it all in, all I heard was the masterful flow and phrasing...Now that I have read it I must say that in my opinion, it is your best work so far and that's saying something!...I have said this to you before, but I am amazed at the wisdom and insight you are blessed with at such a young age...It's almost scary to think what you will be like in 20 years...
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Date: 7/2/2013 11:26:00 PM
WOWOWOW. I don't know if I have seen any of the other entries to this contest, but you just used a GREAT way to do the challenge. How I wish I had thought of this way of doing it. You found the HOOK, my friend. Wish I could find one.
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Date: 6/29/2013 9:57:00 AM
Terrific entry for the contest!!! You will do well with this one....and rightly so....BTW, while it is not material for the contest, Your entry reminded me of "Daddy's Mantel Clock" that I wrote some time ago... Jake
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Date: 6/24/2013 6:49:00 AM
I like how you put "The Dead" after "The Youth" and "The Elder" for no one knows the time of deaths arrival. Another mesmerizing piece of work! Bravo. I think you have told me but I forget, which part of Canada are you from?
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Date: 6/24/2013 5:00:00 AM
Well done. I love this poem with its vivid imagery. My favourite lines: "It counts the lines that branch and spread across my weary skin." Very well done indeed. Keep up the great work.
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Date: 6/22/2013 6:49:00 PM
Phenomenal poetry , great to read such creative perfection with imagery to match. :)
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Date: 6/21/2013 8:19:00 AM
Spectacular approach to these lines! Unique perspectives on what is, essentially, the obvious.......but its value, forgotten, so often. Excellent job!
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Date: 6/21/2013 7:51:00 AM
Heather, this is amazing and awesome, you have captured the stages well, best of luck in the contest, constance
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