THE ILLUSION OF TIME

"The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion." ~ Albert Einstein

Time fascinates me. How we perceive it differently depending on our circumstances. To children the year between one birthday and the next seems like forever. To anyone over 50 or so, that same 365 days fly by.

The other day I read on Twitter that “Christmas is only 75 days away,” and for a moment I thought, “This can’t be right,” but of course it was. Even though it feels to me that I just took down my Christmas decorations, I do realize this is mid-October. Besides, I’ve noticed the perfume ads from Macy’s “Your fragrance destination” are permeating TV, a sure indicator that the holiday season is right around the corner.

I doubt if time would exist at all if man didn’t create it as a measurement because, in actuality, isn’t the only real moment now? Everything that came before is a memory and everything to come is unknown.

Today’s poem is a bit about that.

MEASURING THE ILLUSION OF TIME

Time
free time
doing time
time after time
time and time again.
Time is something
but it is illusive.
We cannot touch it
yet we measure it
with clocks
and watches
and displays
on microwaves
on cable boxes
in Times Square.
I bought an hour-glass
but it only measures 15 minutes.
Does that mean I lost time?
Where can I find time?
Time stands still: 3 minutes on a microwave
Time flies: 3 minutes on a snooze alarm
Nature also measures time.
I can watch effects of time
from my couch
changing colors on the trees
as Autumn slips her foot in Summer’s door.
The leaves
once green
begin to change
yellow, orange, tinge of red.
In my yard, I can see time
turn potato-sized bunnies
into rascally rabbits
and fluttering fluffy fledgings
waiting open-mouthed for food
into full-feathered fliers
self-sufficient
soaring from tree to tree
thrilled by freedom
with an internal clock
tick-tock
telling them
when to leave
before the snows
turn Autumn white
and one year melts
into the next.