My English
class second semester,
freshman year at
Pratt had an assignment to read
Wallace Stevens'
Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird, and then write a
poem entitled '
Thirteen ways of looking at a...', in which we would
pick any subject, and then write thirteen short
stanzas about that subject. I picked a
clock.
I
Tick tock
Circuity.
Security.
Another day
Will pass.
II
Run run,
motherfucker.
You are not
Where you are
Supposed to be.
III
You always seem
To do this to me.
I was doing my best,
And you have
Made me late
Again.
IV
Wake up!
Wake up!
You are
Sleeping
Your time
All away!
V
Tick...
(waiting...)
(worrying...)
(wondering...)
(watching...)
Tock.
VI
I want
To tear you
Off
The
Wall.
VII
Father of entropy,
Father time.
Your hands let me
Watch my world
Decay.
VIII
I seem to be
Living my life
Five minutes
Behind.
IX
I hate to watch you,
But panic when you stop.
How will I know when to get
Where I don't want to be?
X
Taking time
To watch a clock
Is like eating
A beautiful dinner
Just to take a shit.
XI
Upon your eternal
Heartbeat,
The music of ages
Has played.
XII
Try?ing
`` to kEep
. u~P
i seem to
_______have
drop
- ped
my^
.....things.
XIII
I
Do not
Have time
For this.