CLOCK PATIENCE         2000




An angel sent down to tease, put mirrors in front of the cage
He saw a failed magician, who had jeered himself offstage
Uncertain of his gifts, killing time as then
Breaking through the man, machine broke down again
One handcuff locked around his wrist, the other tied to belief
Snared the more he dared resist, perceiving time a thief

Guided by ideas that trapped the life in cells
Sealed in stone inside his years and counting out the bells
He started up the Work again within his Jesus year
Resigning to and fro and to, from a lost career
Enjoying all illusions, until the time for choice
Could he clear the old confusions, obey his secret voice?

Insinct left aside again to favour logic's doubt
Playing clock patience with his life to see how it came out
The past caught up and hit him hard in glass among the sands
The future was a timebomb then, within immortal hands
Afraid of the Fall and drowning, in flows where he dare not swim
He always felt the fear of death when love took hold of him

Now Time's the sharpest arrow, aimed at the youngest heart
Targetting tomorrow, delays the shot to start
He turned into a collage, then fractured up the shape
Turned back to the bottle, and let spirit escape
His profession became part time, too lazy to exorcise
He retired into disgrace -for his next birthday surprise

Now his pulse ticks out the seconds, and he curses memories
Ashamed to act his age, in homes or nurseries
And his songs are scars from fevers, left to mark the skins of time
Darkening into blindness, awareness closed his mind.