Tick tock,

The hands spin round

We all heard the clock

but together we ignored it,

It was distant, beyond our sight

There’s still time left

There’ll always time left,

Right?

 

We’re glowing,

Family and friends, we’re huddled against the cold

Like burning coals

Together, a small fire

 

And then a single word

Sends a quiver and

Shiver through me

And threatens to break apart

This peaceful moment

One word

College

 

Tick tock

Suddenly the clock’s a lot louder

Before it was a whisper

Now it’s a war horn

The tanks of time marching closer

 

And now the panic begins to rise

My time is suddenly limited

What do I do with something

That’s in dwindling supply?

 

Twelve months

Two Semesters

One year left

Tick Tock

 

I can barely manage my time in a day

Much less three hundred and sixty five of them!

And every time I try

and promise to myself

That I’ll figure out how to use it best

I wake up to a clock that reads it’s half past midday

And the homework and chores pile up

Higher than my GPA ever will

Feels like it’s just one day more wasted

 

And now that question begins to rise

Oh I love to ask it,

But I refuse to think

of an answer

How do I say goodbye

When the time runs out?

 

Because over eighteen years

In this small city

I built up a pile of treasure

Given by the man upstairs

He gave some every time

laughter was shared around a table

Or an arm was put around my shoulder

He gave some

Every time in the evening

That the sun would cast

It’s soft golden arms across the sky

And the crickets would come out and play their symphony

Celebrating the good-night

 

So just a succinct “good-bye”

To those

that have shared their houses and hearts with me

To this place I’ve called home

For 17 years

Seems like paying a penny

For this mountain of gold

 

Tick tock,

it ticks and tocks down

And the question’s still there

But for every bike ride around town

Every meal we share

For every second I spend with you

The prospect of saying goodbye is like a nightmare

That you haven’t quite had yet

But you know it’s coming,

And you won’t wake up from it

When it does

 

Maybe...that’s the real key here

See I have two options

One, I can stand here till I’m as blue as the sky

Wasting my breath and time

Trying to figure out how to say good-bye

Attempting to cross the bridge

a mile before we get there

 

Or

 

The clock may be rushing

but I don’t have to

I can whittle the minutes and hours long down

Till it’s all been wasted

Trying to deal with the potentials of what’s coming

But why worry about the future?

 

So breathe in

Speak slowly

Ignore the ticking

 

Because today is right here

And I’d rather enjoy it with you

While we still can