Clock Time

by Seanchan Owen

Some people live their lives by how much money they have;

Some people by property.

Some people live their lives by how much love they have,

Or how big their family is.

They are what they have,

While I live

My life

By clock time.

Each tick.

Each tock.

I was at the bar the other night talking to Jimbo.

He was telling me about this car he'd just bought,

And how it was hot, I thought it was cool.

And when he talked about how fast it was,

And how everybody liked it,

I just moved my eyes up to the bar clock

And watched the seconds,

Thinking how much richer I was getting

By tick,

By tock.

At a picnic in the center of town Ralph was showing me his kids,

As they played on the gym and we both laughed.

And he hugged his wife and smiled at me

And said, "Ah, god. Life is good" while he kissed his wife.

I just looked at my wristwatch and watched the numbers change.

Others may have many, many things, toys, trinkets.

But I value time.

I value seeing, I value smelling, I value hearing.

And all these things do not require cars or family.

But you must have time to appreciate them.

It's very simple: everybody has it.

They dont see it.

Oh, look at me, they scream, as they slide down the hill,

Their shaky schemes skirting between the trees.

I smile and wave and glance at my wristwatch.

But then I ask myself: Have I lost anything?

Where are the loves, the cars? The glory?

All of these experiences that they have

I have, looking in their eyes, hearing their voices,

Sensing the world.

I do not own them,

I only own the seconds that I live.

And I live the seconds

Of time.

Clock Time.

BDB Music

Larkspur, CA