The cistern will soon fill-

I watch the years

in a swirling eddy, flow

hurriedly and steady, away-away,

school books, and tests

dance round and round,

a few bars of String of Pearls

keeps the rhythm circled,

and wedding marches  whirl

down and down ,followed

by ten pink fingers and toes-

round and round- down and down

to the black abyss of yesterday.

Sometimes I hear it sloshing-

summers and winters

mixed in a slurry- a luke warm

mess that once came

with crisp identity and satin grass.

So many words down there,

still mumbling, hunting

for an ear to enter,

loves, passions, grasps

all piled in sludge of memory.

I can't bear it-

make the sloshing stop,

stem the swirling eddy,

let me cuddle the years.

I'm not ready to surrender

the sunshine days,

or the salty tears.

04/27/2005