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Tiny Little Gears (Ticks of Eternity)
Our hearts
Are the tiny little gears
That move the hands of time
Heart beats,
Ticks of eternity
Moving us in and out of
What could be,
what is,
and what was
It will be again in memories
and maybe
They're the energy,
the fuel that feeds
Those tiny little gears
That move the hands of time
Heart beats,
Ticks of eternity
Moving us in and out of
What could have been,
Leading us back there again
In some place,
Some time
Along the circling path of the hour hand
Hold mine,
I'll hold yours
We'll run through the fields
Heart beats bringing about the moment
Excited pulse hurrying it off
We can't help that
That's the way we're built
But don't count the seconds
A watched pot never boils
And our love runs hot
Like a wildfire through
The drying wheat
We'll break the bread
Before a blazing sunset
You'll lay on my chest
Beneath the stars
Moving at our command -
Listen..
Ticks of eternity
Moving us in and out of
What could be,
what is,
and what was
It will be again
Question for you..
Question for you. Or anyone else who might know. When a poem is created, the system will note the time. Sometimes the time is accurate, sometimes it's not. I'm not losing any sleep over it, but do you know why that is? Thanks.
Sorry for taking so long to
Sorry for taking so long to get back to you regarding this question, I somehow missed it. Honestly, I've never noticed the fluctuations in accuracy on the time stamp. I've always just assumed it wasn't in alignment with my time zone, and thought that was all to it. I'm going to have to observe this more closely, now.
I love this poem..
I love this poem. The subject of time has always fascinated me. Who invented the human concept of time? Who decided what time it was? Did someone just say 'It's now a quarter to eleven' and everything else folllowed from there? I'd love to get the answers to these questions, but who has the time?
haha. Thank you, sir. As
haha. Thank you, sir. As usual, your wordplay adds to your critique. Here's one for you: If you had a time machine and wanted to go back to the moment before the concept of time was invented, could you?
Hmm. That’s a very..
Hmm. That's a very thought-provoking question. I need a minute to think about it. Though if I went back to the moment before the concept of time was invented, I wouldn't know what a minute was. Hmm. Another thought-provoking question. Will someone stop provoking my thoughts please? Seriously, I enjoy chatting on topics like this. It keeps my mind engaged. I'm an admirer of your work. Keep it up!
I quite enjoy these exchanges, myself
Dialing back to a time that had no time - you might be inventing time in reverse. I feel like this would make a unique and challenging Sci Fi story/script on time travel. Might have to steal an already existing title, though: The Land Before Time. ; )
Thank you, again.
Presenting the opening..
Presenting the opening scene of the most amazing story to ever hit the silver screen, 'The Land Before Time':
'Stewardess, oh stewardess'
'Yes sir. May I help you. Would you like another cup of coffee?'
'No. I would NOT like another cup of coffee! Why do you always ask me if I want a cup of coffee? If I want a cup of coffee I'll tell you I want a cup of coffee! Do you understand?
'Yes sir. I certainly do. No coffee for you right now. How can I help you?'
'How long before we land? I need to know, how long before we land!
'We'll be landing in a few minutes sir. Just sit back and relax'
'I can't sit back and relax! You don't understand. I have no time!'
'Sir, calm down. You shouldn't..'
'Time! This happens every time! Time after time!! Time before time!! Time during time!!'
'John, can you assist me? I having a problem with a passenger. Seat 22A. Yes'
'What are you doing? Who the hell is this guy? Why is he restraining me? I must land. You must land this plane immediately!! Running out of time!!
'John, the sedative should be taking effect. Hold him down!'
'We have to land! Land before time! Land before zzzz...'
Coming to theatres for Thanksgiving. 'The Land Before Time'. Don't miss it!
Minutes and hours are such
Minutes and hours are such arbitrary markers of time, but your concept has significance, eloquence and validity. The soft pulsing cadence of your poem underscores your theme brilliantly and the romantic aspect glows elegantly.
"You'll lay on my chest
Beneath the stars
Moving at our command -
Listen.."
That could stand alone as a stirring and glorious poem!
A top notch creation on many levels. Loving it!
Thank you, Patricia.
Thank you, Patricia. Particularly appreciate you sharing your sense of the rhythm in the poem. It came across to you just as I intended in writing it, and that's yet another helpful share among many you've been so kind to divulge. Also, how you picked out the four lines you've highlighted above and granted them stand alone value is not just a much appreciated compliment but also speaks to your poetic senses, because I wrote them before much of the second stanza and built around them. I appreciate the generosity of time you've given to my poems over the years. I'm surely far from alone in this appreciation.
Poems about the metaphysical
Poems about the metaphysical aspects of time are, in my opinion, among the most difficult. Yet this poem seems to move with such verbal agility through some difficult concepts that it seems you invented the very idea of a poem about time. This is an excellent reading experience.
Starward
Thank you, my friend. Very
Thank you, my friend. Very kind.
I was looking at old time pieces in a small antique store earlier in the day, and later on in the day sparked a mingling of thoughts. I'm quite sure that George's poem "The Hands On The Clock Tick Backwards" got me writing, as well.
Old time pieces and a fellow
Old time pieces and a fellow Poet's poem came together within your soul to launch this beautiful and significant poem. To me, that proves you are an authentic Poet. My favorite Poet, Wallace Stevens, found inspiration in all sorts of items (comparable to the old time pieces you mentioned, or overheard conversations) that then, being processed within his soul, became wonderful poems, with the most whimsical titles. His Collected Poems can be read just for the beauty of the titles alone. (Two of my favorites: "Mountain Covered With Cats," and "No Possum, No Sop, No Taters").
I also like the way the poem begins, immediately and forthrightly asserting that the hearts are the tiny gears that move the hands of time, and move us through it flow. Just like the power in tiny, invisible atoms which, when released through fusion, causes a star to release light and warmth---the rays of which can travel millions of light years to be received in our souls through our eyes.
This poem is both profound and beautiful, and only a real Poet can achieve that combination.
Starward
Thank you, once more, for
Thank you, once more, for such kind words, as well as the way you can connect something so small as my poem with other, grand things. Your description of the way in which atoms charge the stars is quite poetic, in itself. : )
Regarding Stevens, I absolutely love the title "No Possum, No Sop, No Taters" - I think it's one of the most interesting and intriguing titles ever created. That's a real gift, to be able to create such a specific title, yet not give away the poem. He had that.
Again, my gratitude. Thank you for taking the time and sharing - as you do so well - what about Tiny Little Gears made it for you.
Please forgive my delay in
Please forgive my delay in replying to this. And I liked what you said about Stevens' ability to create unusual titles without giving away the poem. The great critic, Helen Vendler, who is probably the finest interpreter of Stevens' poetry, created a "reading strategy" for readers of Stevens' poems, and the first point she wrote was "distrust Stevens' titles." The "Mountain Covered With Cats" has nothing to do with either mountains or cats. But I think you described it better than she dd.
Starward