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Clock

Wheels in motion
So slowly turn
round and around
slotting into each
other - so easily
Tick Tock

Well oiled greased
each one are
tooth after tooth they
slide smoothly into
the well oiled grooves
Tick Tock

Time moves at one pace
it seems to stands still
movement unseen
criss cross
Tick Tock

Over lapping images
round and around
wheels in motion
slowly turn
mesmerize
you
Tick Tock

Echo of each turn
so loud it is so
deafening
Tick Tock

Circle after circle
round and around
they go -  but not
going anywhere
Tick Tock


For me
life stands still
Tick Tock



Electric Blue

— Electric Blue, Jun 10, 2009

About This Poem

About the Author

Country/Region: GBR

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Critiques

Nordic cloud

Nordic cloud

16 years 12 months ago

A lovely idea this

For a poem and you have set out the tick verses and the tock verses and given us a time standing still feeling as you wished I think. Round and round, yes the old grandfather clocks had a most deep noted tick-tock, I loved listening to them as I feel asleep when I was a child. There was something safe, protecive in their constancy. You make me think of the joke about the Devonians: Two men in the pub, one looks out of the window and says : "Oh therre be farrrmer Edwards Coouw comin down the road" and the clock goes tick tock, tick tock, then the other man says :"That aint farrmer Edwarrrds couw, that be farrrmer Jones's coouw comin down the road" and the clock goes tick tock, tick, tock for a long pause. Then the first man says :" I be gion ome therre be too much arguin goin on herrre." Things go slow in Devon, and their dialect does too. Hope it cheered you up just for the minisecond Maggie? I do think this could be so good but needs a little titivating, hope you don't mind? overlapping is one word. Well oiled greased.........................oiled and greased seem very similar each one are.................................each one IS, or ? tooth after tooth they slide smoothly into the well oiled grooves....................oiled again? lubricated? Tick Tock Time moves at one pace it seems to stands still movement unseen...........................mechanism, or ? Move and movement twice. mesmerize you...............................................do you need you? Love to you an enjoy the warmth of summer and the perfumes of the flowers if you can, from Ann of Norway
Electric Blue

Electric Blue

16 years 12 months ago

Clock

Ann I just let my mind wander as I watch the clock mechanism the workings of the cogs turning round and around slotting into each other always moving but getting nowwhere. As I liken it to myself at this time wanting to move on but held back by present situation trying to sort things out but things taking so long to deal with. one step forward and three steps back! I see what you get at by similar words. But it is just my observations it is not meant to be as you have advised as i feel it would change the flow of my poem. It is just my mind wandering Electric blue
Janice Pearce

Janice Pearce

16 years 12 months ago

Clock

This brought back memories of my Grandparents house, so quiet, except the sounds of the clock. I agree with Ann here on the suggestions she made. ______________________________________________________ Income-tax forms should be more realistic by allowing the taxpayer to list "Uncle Sam" as a dependent Anonymous
Electric Blue

Electric Blue

16 years 12 months ago

Clock

Janice I liken myself to the mechanisams of the clock workings. Watching the cogs slotting into each other so easily. My situation at present trying to move on with my situation sorting my husbands probate etc out. But it is taking so long I have my list and ticking off things to do but it stops. I am waiting on others all of the time hence this poem. Time ticks by. Watching the workings is mesmerizing the cogs turn constantly but at one pace you cannot hurry it Tick Tock. Anne's suggestions are good if I wanted to be exact workings of the mechanisms but just an observation of time Electric Blue
ID

Ink Dragon

16 years 12 months ago

Hi Maggie,

pondering time, and how it is measured, well laid out here. My daughter once asked me if I knew what had been invented first, time or clocks. I thought that a very clever question. Please do reconsider Ann's suggestions, they are really good and might add to this piece. Yours, ~Nina
W

W.C.Wampler

16 years 12 months ago

Clock poem

E.B.,This is one of my favorites that you have written. Quite different from most of your work that I've seen. In my poetry workshop on the day you posted this, "Time" had been the homework/ key word. This piece would have gone over very well with some of the other excellent pieces. The refrain, 'Tick Tock', the ancient sound of the mechanical clock. This jolts memories of trying to sleep in a house with one. Very well done. wcw
Electric Blue

Electric Blue

16 years 12 months ago

Clock

WC In my house I do not wind up the clocks at all. I do not worry about when the clocks change. backwards or forwards no matter As for me time stands still. I am always in the moment. In the house there is only me. The clock did tick so loudly I might as well be in a bell tower I do prefer the silence. I hear my heart beat I feel my blood pump through my veins. In the rut I seem to be stuck. one step forward three back Round and around I go but going nowhere Of course there are places I long to be but it seems never to be. Been a while but just trying to write again
Electric Blue

Electric Blue

16 years 11 months ago

clock

Janice Thank you my friend Every one is thinking of the clock as a friend that is always there. To me it is the heartbeat which is also similar mechanisum automatic steady. But to me this is me at this time just a robot going through the motions trying to take one step forward and three steps back. It cannot be hurried you have to slow down to the steady pace. You try to control life but it seems it cannot be controlled. always Electric blue
O

orgami

16 years 11 months ago

I agree with all above

I waited to comment on this one because it was so startling different from all others Maggie I borrowed the "clock" refrence to my own poem "ciccadia clock" line comes from this poem So for those that read the poem would know This is Electrics direct influence!! I have a small old electronic clock with motor one aa battery which every now and then I use just to hear it pinging away from a time so different then now and yet now Great Poem Maggie!!!!
Electric Blue

Electric Blue

16 years 11 months ago

Clock

Org I have many clocks in the house but I do not wind them up as it will always be the deafening sound like being a bell tower. It echos so loudly as there is only me. But I hear the clock inside of me my heart beating so loud and feel my blood pumping around my body all automatically. Robotic. So I liken myself to the mechanisum of the clock watch the cogs turn in unison tick tock slotting into each groove so easily amazing to watch tick tock. I love science I would love to be an astronaught above the earth looking down floating beyond this universe. I love machines the wonder of how each part is as important as the next as all parts are needed without the one link the chain breaks down. I am without the one link so difficult to move on I think of the inventors where they get their ideas and bring them to fruition it is amazing. Electric Blue
O

orgami

16 years 11 months ago

wow maggie

You sound so interested in science I dont know much but watch the science shows and wonder of the wonder I met Marc Garneau the Canadian Astronaut once long ago Roberta Bondar is a cool person too my mom kept us home from school the day Neil stepped from the Eagle take care my interesting freind
Electric Blue

Electric Blue

16 years 11 months ago

Clock

Orgami Yes I am interested in many things. I have a thirst to learn about all things. When I was at school in my day only boys were aloud to do science astronamy woodwork and alike. Of course you all grew up around machinery cars and working machines it tractors heavy moving equipment Not a girls thing. That is so sexist. Why cannot a girl or woman be interested in these things too. Yes maybe i am weird but would love the oportunity even now to get in get my hands dirtly. I can dig the earth clear the land plant the new seed and harvest it. I would of loved to have done all these things but in my day a womans place was in the home tied to the kitchen sink. They had to cook and sew and provide for the family they were not meant to have a brain or want to do anything other than the family which of course is very important. As for me I would loved to have been able to try out and be an anstronaught to be able to explore an new continent by sailing the high seas or travelling through the jungle and finding a Myan or Aztec unknown city or discover a new tomb in Egypt be the first to enter and feel the spirits left their WoW or to find an under ground cavens like my secret grotto etc to investigate all things. I could go on and on. Well I do investigate a lot of things in my job as you know forensics finding out searching etc. But I think the most wondrous mechanisum is the human body. I love to get in there and see how it all works and what makes it work because underneath no matter what race we are strip away the outside and we are all the same underneath. As with nature which i love how does a flower grow - how is it that each petal each leaf is so perfectly formed but in such an aray or different species as with trees they may be of one kind in as much an oak or silver birch or the big red wood. but each tree branch leaf live a life of their own as with people we are all different. I love to watch insects - ants running around repeating their journey back and forth each knowing what their job is. Then watching snails taking ther time also making their journey I can watch for hours all sorts I was looked down on for being interested in what they called doing boy things such as the war re tanks and aircraft ships etc. But that is me. I want to know - dig in - find out. Just because that is me. It is all a clock in a way as each piece has to fit to make it work. We are all a clock in a way. We all move constantly automatically inside until a spring goes and sieze up for one reason or another guess what arthritis and old age creeps in no matter how well oiled we are. Just me seeing the similarities. Thank you my friend for taking the time to look at my poem
Candlewitch

Candlewitch

16 years 11 months ago

Maggie

Your poem reminded me of the Grandmother clock that stands in our hallway. It is a beautiful old thing that my husband inherited from his late Mother. It chimes at the hour, quarter and half. I understand how you can feel the way you do as time keeps circling, yet I seem to be going nowhere. Or maybe that is just me seeing it through the dim light of my illness. Whatever, I loved the imagery and mechanichs of this poem! Always, Cat
deelilah

deelilah

16 years 11 months ago

Maggie

This is one of my favorites too. Time is a subject I spend a lot of 'time' on. And clock images come to me a lot. Your take on the cogs is very unique, one which I had not thought of, and one which I will have to think about. I also love the way the 'tick tock' repeating has the sound and feel of a clock. Your note to Orgami has made me curious. You do not look old enough to have felt the sexist influence that you describe. Is that not your picture? Forensics? That sounds interesting, definitely a science, no? I too love the wonderful connections in science. Steve (husband) and I have been listening to a university science series on CD while we drive. Fascinating. Science fiction is also fun to contemplate. Time travel, Star Trekish stuff, will probably be hard science pretty soon, do you think? Great work, Maggie Always, Deelilah
Electric Blue

Electric Blue

16 years 10 months ago

Clock

Dee Thank you for your comments. Time is all I have but fleets by to quickly. We are all cogs in this world and we meet and slot into different spaces and time when we cross another sliding so easily like hand in glove between two souls. Forensics I have to deal with this daily so hopefully very observent re evidentual exhibits needed etc. Yes this is my picture it is just about a year old. I was with some artist musician friends I was asked to do some modeling re a photographic project of course i am game for everthing. My late husband took this picture I will have to find a way to show the whole picture. I will set the scene. My artist friend has set of a project in his garden. four ladders set in a square with a six foot pane of glass resting in the centre about six feet off of the ground. I am standing on the pane of glass wearing black leather fringed boots black leotard mini skirt with silver stars fringed black leather fitted jacket with many silver zips blue hair blue nails on a beautiful sunny day. My artist friend lays on his back underneath the glass taking photos with the sky as the background the photos were amazing. Great perspective. I just love sharing with my artist/musician friends this is the only place i feel so alive. I have a thirst for learning. I am like a sponge. I soak up information just take everything in but yearn for more. New experiences live for each day. Enjoy the moment as this can last forever always electric blue