The large clock
on the wall before my desk
white face  black numerals
heavy dark hands
proud office timekeeper
especially vocal this morning
tick-tocks seconds to minutes
then hours to days to weeks
and so on to years then decades
I shall not see and beyond to centuries
if not eons
    No matter   there’s no time now
for philosophy or speculation
no time to lament loss
opportunities slipped away
in a moment’s hesitation
tides waiting for no man
skipped out to sea
     This moment---the crux
the crucible of body and its spirit
the crisscrossing of man with  hours
reminds me  except for pen
these hands are empty
and I who might despair
choose instead to laugh
and then finally to declare
as dying Grandfather did
Time is my only
                   companion these days