tick tick tick tick tick tick
Seconds snap by.
tick tick
We take a deep breath, a little yawn may appear,
tick tick tick tick
A scratch on my face, my chin through the beard, a small breath, my eyes blink,
tick tick tick tick,
The scope of the weather, still hot in September, a little sweat on the side of my head,
tick tick tick.
I wonder,
tick tick,
About supper, clean clothes, clean bed clothes,
tick tick,
I wonder about you,
tick tick tick,
And all about the children too, there's two of them, and their spouses, and three of their kids, so funny to look and to laugh,
tick tick tick tick,
I can picture them in school;
playing the games, the lunch's, the school band, the locker rooms,
tick tick tick tick,
The graduations, from high school, from college, their kids starting the paths,
tick tick tick tick.
Us making the ways, the jobs, the travel, seeing the world, climbing the peaks and finding the valleys, and moving and making life better, the hugs and the kisses, the soft goodbyes and the cries of torment, the feeling of loss,
tick tick tick tick tick tick tick
The quiet surrounds us, each moment
tick tick tick
We watch as life passes by, we pray for them,
tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick
And our bodies have grown quiet and still, and rest now beneath the earth,
tick tick tick tick tick tick tick
But the clock continues to tick, for the kids, and their kids kids, and the nephews and nieces and cousins, brothers and sisters, and loved ones and hated ones and those who were around us, make their time to the steady beat.
They pray for us.
tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick
Ralph Peck
Photo By Marla Bolton
Eufaula, Oklahoma
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