Stutter in Time - 2006

(A pantoum)

At the end of time
I saw a room

It was a dark, desolate hallway, with an old man by six pillars of light
I stepped into one, and, at the end of the path,
I saw a room
that saw my life pass by its eyes—bed, a mirror—and among its welcoming walls

I stepped into one, and, at the end of the path,
I saw all the things I had ever seen and all the people I ever knew
that saw my life pass by their eyes—mind, a heart—and, through their weary walls
I sensed a trace of my soul I had left long ago, in another time
where all the things I had ever seen and all the people I ever knew
were still with me. In this world beyond the wall in my room
I sensed a trace of my soul that I had left long ago
where many friends and lovers alike
were still with me, in this world within my room.

Here, Time could not touch us.

My many friends and lovers alike
gathered around me, like a mighty meeting of memories
that Time could not touch.
I saw all the replays and rewinds
gather around me like a mighty meeting of memories
where me and my love sang timeless songs only our mothers would know
who surely constantly replayed and rewound them.
We were sure
our parents and their loves sang these same timeless songs only their mothers would know
in another time,
and we were sure
we would live forever.

However, in another time
I saw a world without time.
We would live forever
if only in a void.

But, in this world without time
I still saw a room
if only in a void
So, I will look for us
in this room I saw
inside the dark, desolate hallway, with an old man by six pillars of light
and I will look for us
until the end of time