Serving
by David Ackley
The judge hands him a small packet
that says, “For later.”
He is consigned to a box with square holes.
Patience is mandated.
The light is doused. The dark is doused by
the light. He is thrown food and
throws it back.
This goes on until it doesn't
He forgets his family then decides
he never had one
There is a paucity of fauna
Time may or may not pass
The packet in his pocket is frayed
he decides “later," might be “now,”
and opens the packet to save it
It unfolds in even folds
across box, halls, blocks.
It adapts, blends, mimics,
abides, fills oceans with its emptiness
deserts with its waiting
he swallows his serving of time
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Author's Note
Time thoughts 2 or 3
Other stories by David Ackley
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"he swallows his serving of time"
Profound piece.
Intriguing.
So good, I read it 5 times!
"It unfolds in even folds
across box, halls, blocks.
It adapts, blends, mimics,
abides, fills oceans with its emptiness
deserts with its waiting"
Thanks Erika, Gary and Reva. I'm trying to make time traps. Glad you liked this one.
"fills oceans with its emptiness
deserts with its waiting"
"This goes on until it doesn't"
Nice.
Very open to all kinds of interpretations. Here goes with a crazy one. The judge is the planet, 'he' is the human screwing up the planet. Seriously, the line spacing made me feel what you write - it's all unfolding over oceans of time.
Thanks, Bill for giving it a look and thumbs up.
Eamon, I'm taking that one,I like the imputation of significance.
Life.
Good stuff.
Such a multilayered poem. All excellent but, for me, the last six lines are particularly resonant.
Apologies re 2 comments (now 3!), re-read and it felt like a new poem:)
Thanks Jill and Dianne for reading and the generous comments.
Reva: Comment as often as you like, they're all fun to read, and the fact that you keep coming back for more gives me more satisfaction than I can say.
Yes, this is definitely one to read more than once. Intriguing indeed. *
Thanks Charlotte. Very glad you liked it.