a thought experiment
on time and motion
reveals no evidence of time
rather progress
if now is all that exists
the past a ticker tape of history
a record
future progress yet to be transcribed
the light of me
when ears cease to exist
sound persists
hear and be heard
touch and be touched
feel and be felt
see and be seen
taste and be tasted
think and be thought
invisible waves bend drums
quality of skin
detached from quality of sound
light in me shines
bright and lighted
when the flame flickers
the intensity remains
the light on me shines
for the light is me
light and be lit
our outer voices
the brain lights up
on the imaging monitor
when receiving
external signals
eyes detect light
theoretically eons away
but today only meters
regardless from the past
ear drums vibrate
from far away sounds
today though from buds
regardless from the past
as are odors reaching nostrils
tastes on the tongue
and touches to the skin
all from the past
perhaps barely measurable
all our senses
can ever know
is history
the brain lights up
on the imaging monitor
when sending signals
or maybe not
today i think
that maybe my thoughts
are yet another signal
received at this fleeting moment
and just as the searching eye
may not see
as the hearing ear
fails to listen
distracted by the shiny object
talking rather than attention
senses lagging behind
handicapped further
not smelling the roses
eating without tasting
touching but not present
moments passing meaninglessly
likewise our outer voices
muted by thinking
rather than received
by quiet observation
passing the time
our families are connected
although separated by planets
by a game of catch
dating back generations
there was a time
before leather mitts
and stitched balls
when all we threw were rocks
the distance so impressive
rocks were caught
a full generation later
with gloves still primitive
thrown back was a ball
of nothing other than
tightly wound yarn
flying through space
the distance so impressive
balls of yarn were caught
a full generation later
with laced leather mitts
caught by modern civilization
balls with centers made of cork
wrapped still with yarn
and covered with stitched leather
each generation
one after the next
catching ancient history
with the most modern technology
each generation
one after the next
throwing today
receiving the past
building balance
the scale is level
fifty clay chips of white
fifty clay chips of black
each per side
add one black
remove one white
seemingly even still
the count one hundred
intensity remains constant
chips placed
chips taken
white and black
black and white
balancing
unbalancing
hardly noticeable
the scales are tipped
over days weeks years
intensity fading
chips broken and lost
unbalanced and weak
aging beams
retired and discarded
of use no longer
the scale is level
fifty clay chips of black
fifty clay chips of white
each per side
add one white
add one black
even still
the count increasing
mass of clay intensified
chips placed
and placed again
black and white
white and black
unbalancing
balancing
hardly noticeable
the scales are leveled
over days weeks years
intensity building
chips mended and found
balanced and strong
aging beams
calibrated and oiled
carrying the clay
-ajds
