For a time, before they turn
Oak trees breathing heavily in Heaton park
Kids roaming free till late on weekends
The line of houses across the street
Your skin, plump and unblemished
The birds and the bees
Appetite, zest, strength
The notion that things remain unchanged
In a singular state, a finite amount of time,
The uniqueness of that singularity and how time absorbs it
How time owns it
What holds this second? How long till the next shift?
There's certainty in this feeling, a breathing space
A source of comfort for mothers that despair and love all at once
For people that nurse their sick
They wait by bedsides seeking change
Knowing time runs a tight ship and gives no warning
The notion that things remain unchanged
And are singular and finite
How can we sustain it? I tell myself
You're young and healthy, your parents are young and healthy
Your child is young and healthy
Life lies ahead like a clear path lined up with tall trees
Bursting with wonderfulness, colour, opportunities
Just like 30 years go I was fifteen, dating an army cadet
Among friends whose faces I've forgotten
In the company of relatives that have long since left
30 years ago, yesterday, half an hour ago
The notion that things remain unchanged for a time
Singular, finite
When you're constantly shuffling, turning, shedding, growing, shrinking
Yet all the while, holding on to the hour where you're one with your thoughts
The pervasiveness of time passing
And our delusion blatantly real
How dare we imagine pauses that aren't there
31-05-2018
