Countdown
The clock ticks.
We have to pick
our moments well
for who can tell
which may be our last?
When grains have passed
through their hour glass until
the very last is about to spill
onto the waiting heap,
then no last-ditch leap
will save us. Time will follow
its course until the last hollow
tock of the clock
will bring life to a stop.
Magpie Tales gave us this ticking time picture of a 'past its sell by date' clock face for this week, which inevitably lead to thoughts of the eleventh hour we will all have to face at some point! Let's hope next week's prompt will be a less decrepit picture, therefore slightly more upbeat in its automatic associations! Nil desperandum, folks!
Grains have passed through the hour glass...I like the sibilance; time passes pretty quickly.
ReplyDeleteThe clock is still ticking away, hopefully for a long time:)
ReplyDeleteThis is well constructed work. Your para after the poem leads me to wonder . . Can the past be past it's sell-by date?
ReplyDeleteEach moment is indeed precious, enjoyed your magpie and your doll story on my post this week.
ReplyDelete11th hour didn't really jump out at me - I always associate that saying with news broadcasts in the 70's. You know when they were always holding 11th hour talks with Trade Union leaders - and then failing to reach a deal...
ReplyDeleteSerious stuff alright. We dont know how long any of us have. I like the motto from the film Shawshank Redemption - 'get busy living or get busy dying'. I hope we all choose the latter!
ReplyDeleteClocks ticking out life's countdown; reminding us to not waste a second. Serious and good reminder to live it full, and out loud.
ReplyDelete'Nil desperandum' indeed! Nice writing within the cultural framework of 'The Book' Jinksy, and I share your wish for a less 'desperate' prompt next time!
ReplyDeleteWhey , , HEY! "Reminding us not to waste a second" Surely, surely there's no more efficient way of wasting time by the truckload than eMail, mobile phones, twitter, facebook and blogger . . . oh, and X factor, Strictly Come Prancing, I'm a TimeWaster - Get Me Out of Here . . and the one we all forget . . . Going On Vacation.
ReplyDeleteHey yourself, Doc! I never mentioned "Reminding us not to waste a second" - why don't you go and rant at Coloring Outside the Lines if you want to pick a fight ? They were her words, not mine. I decare my blog a Peace Zone!!
ReplyDeleteA reminder that we can't stop the passage of time. The seconds keep passing. Nice magpie.
ReplyDeleteIt's been interesting to see what everyone makes of this picture--your poem finds a clock, another saw a bottle in the object at the bottom. I saw a wall with the number eleven. It was indeed a difficult prompt, but it's brought out some very nice voyages of the imagination, like yours.
ReplyDeleteAh, a nifty read...
ReplyDeleteI like the words chosen for this.
ReplyDeleteExceptionally fine..brings one down to earth!!
ReplyDeletewhen times runnin' down, make the most of it while you're still around...
ReplyDeleteSerious thoughts indeed...
ReplyDeleteChilling, that last hollow tock.
ReplyDeletegreat take on the photo!
ReplyDeleteIf only the wisdom of experiencing time were ours prior to wasting so many precious moments, never to be seen again.
ReplyDeleteSobering ... a reminder for all. Live life to the fullest, embrace, love, share, care.
ReplyDeleteSo true and wonderfully said Jinksy! :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, dear,
ReplyDeletelove the message in your magpie.
well crafted lines.
Smiles.