“Ahead indefinitely”, “Prelude”, and “The insight, learned by fright”

By Arno Bohlmeijer

 

Ahead
indefinitely

The clock with patience,
counting my hours or days,
has been to the creator’s
for ages, for repairs.

Now the hand can even be
turned back, which scares me,
although it’s been a life-long wish:
the second chance.

I am
afraid to falter somewhere,
unable to move at all,
and failing to take
the blame.

Past lockdown,
when I stay weak
for a minute or a day,
do not get so unsettled

that the good old clock
stops a sec on and off,
skipping something
or leaving me
behind.

It prefers to turn a page,
if it had one, of a concerned time,
or to put the present straight, where you
will soon cheer up for ages. Tomorrow shortly?

 

Prelude

is such a soothingly
beautiful word;
for you too?
More than ‘illusion’?

It should be used, please,
in this prequel and encore,
a durably luminous report:

humorous, delightful view-
points inspired by hindsight,
patience, mainly redemption
or this friendship without end.

You name it? When may we start again?

 

The insight,
learned by fright

Is this called absent-minded?
Pre-occupied with writing,
or surviving life’s trials?

Lost in modest thoughts,
walking down the stairs –
careful, don’t miss a step
when you’re nearly there –
I can hear voices below;
darkly under weird breaths?
Burglars conferring, or worse?
Where on earth did I put my phone?
Shall I call their bluff with tough roars,
“Busted, the cops are just outside,
drop it and run while you can!”

If only. There’s a lump in my throat
from heart thumps and stomach jumps.
Don’t stumble into their fists or guns!
Forced to freeze and breathe,
I can hear the voices more clearly,
shaking my ears and brain: I left the TV on.
This is the commentators’ agitation at a major game.

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