Mark Time

Go back to the crannies and nooks
of Freddie and Barney,
Swishes of soot created carbon dating.

Night dark
Light bright.
Sticks cast shadows on the dial.

Led by Polaris,
Sailors tracked twinkles .
Bright holes on a black canvas.

Doorpost markings,
Rising higher.
Levels of life lived.

Isotope labs,
Measuring infinity.

Vivaldi's quattro
Not yet ceased.
Breaks in the midnight sun.

Prison wall scratchings,
Canyon river courses.
Cut deep.

Tree rings,
Rhino horn ruttings.
Visual scars to read.

First breath, final breath.
Count them.
Precious desert drops.

Snake skin casings,
Chrysalis cocoons.
Evidence of time.

Big Ben to little cukoos,
Count drops or the intervals between.

There was, there is , there will be.
Its past, its present, its future unending.

Scribes, inscriptions, scribbles.

Mark time.

Arno Neumann 060/08