The Clock Ticks

The Clock Ticks

A Poem by Andrew
"

Amazing how much can happen in half a minute.

"
The clock ticks

A veteran rises to greet the day in a box by the river.

The clock ticks

A mass is held for a legend you'll never meet.

The clock ticks

A woman cries herself to sleep, too scared to tell.

The clock ticks

A house burns down as the family looks on in horror.

The clock ticks

A baby is born healthy and happy to loving parents.

The clock ticks

A car crash kills the next champion of the world.

The clock ticks

A habit is formed that's known to kill.

The clock ticks

A lifelong bond is formed in unexpected conditions.

The clock ticks

A group of young adults does God's work willingly.

The clock ticks

A confident couple takes their vows of commitment.

The clock ticks

A father struggles to make ends meet at home.

The clock ticks

A young man takes his vows to live like Christ.

The clock ticks

A child dies of an incureable disease at the age of six.

The clock ticks

A young woman loses hope on love and lives her life bitter.

The clock ticks

A cancer diagnosis is returned and the days are short.

The clock ticks

A grateful farmer plows the land he has earned.

The clock ticks

A soldier risks his life so that we may be free.

The clock ticks

A teenager wanders homeless in an unforgiving city.

The clock ticks

A stray bullet takes another budding life.

The clock ticks

A group of men relive their glory days around the fire.

The clock ticks

A young woman sells herself for her newborn infants next meal.

The clock ticks

A family falls asleep comfortable and secure.

The clock ticks

A once strong friendship fails the test of time.

The clock ticks

A coal miner toils in the black soot that powers our homes.

The clock ticks

A band is formed for the love of the music.

The clock ticks

A troubled mind leaves this earth by their own doing.

The clock ticks

A child is beaten and remains scarred for life.

The clock ticks

A brilliant mind is ostracized and left in the cold.

The clock ticks

A house sits pearched on the hill void of running water.

The clock ticks

A baby dies prematurely and a mothers entire world shatters.

And the clock ticks

Thirty seconds have passed
Thirty times the clock has ticked
Thirty lives are changed forever
All before the gears of the minute hand click.

© 2010 Andrew


Author's Note

Andrew
One of three poems I wrote while in West Virginia over spring break during a mission trip. Easily, the most amazing place on the face of the earth.

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Reviews

man is as cruel as he is blind

Posted 14 Years Ago


Very good. Relateable and real. Really opened my eyes. :)
One thing I would say though, was that I thought that the line
"A baby is born healthy and happy to loving parents."
was a bit out of place, in the midst of all the negative things, you know? I'm not sure if there's something I'm missing or not understanding, but it just seems to clash in my eyes.
But, regardless, amazing and inspirational piece. :)


Posted 14 Years Ago


To be able to point to thirty disparate happenings, seemingly unrelated, but brought together by the awareness that they (and more) happen all around us, every half-minute of every day, to persons of all ages, creeds and skin colors is very unifying. Make one think about his place in the big U, and how meaningless that vexing incident that occured this morning, that made us momentarily lose our cool actually WAS! Nice thoughts! mark

Posted 14 Years Ago


WOW Andrew,this is very ,very good work!! :) I thoroughly enjoyed this!!

Posted 14 Years Ago


This poem is interesting in that depending on how you think about it, it either says a hell of a lot or it doesn't say anything at all. You just came up with thirty things that happen every day and wrote them down after saying 'the clock ticks'. In the context of a poem, that doesn't mean much.

Take it outside the poem itself, however, and you find what you were looking for. It's a very effective and almost cleverly subtle way of attacking it.

One technical error. You say 'infants' at one point, and it should be 'infant's'

Posted 14 Years Ago


I really dig the form and the message. Very 'in your face'. Well done.

Posted 14 Years Ago


Oh My Goodness! Now this is one amazing write here!
I am no doubt saying this has power and inspiration.
Very well written and structured write.

Posted 14 Years Ago


Excellently structured and thought-provoking. It's incredible to think about...

Posted 14 Years Ago



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Added on March 20, 2010
Last Updated on March 20, 2010


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