Sunday, August 9, 2009

Poem9:Take a Shot in the Night

Take a shot in the night,
and the tick-tock-ticking
Of the clock, all alight with flame,
Lights your way, can you see?
There's your mark--shoot straight!

The flickering of the fire,
like a candle, only brighter,
distorts vision, and the smoke...
Are your eyes watering, child?
Shoot straight!

Did you hear that hiss
of the arrow past your ear?
Or was the bowstring louder
so that you couldn't hear?
What a twang it gave! And the arrow whistled!
Did you shoot straight, child?

All the stars were alight,
but the flame of the clock,
obscured them, was too bright!
Is that time you're killing there, child?
Or were you just sick of the tick-tock-ticking?
And did you shoot straight?

Did you hit your mark
when you shot in the dark?
And when the clock is ashes and bits of metal
And the stars are clear and the sky is blue-black
Can you find your arrow where you shot it?
Or did you shoot straight and forget it?
Or was it off and the arrow flew on and on
'til it grounded itself by the wayside?

And did you find it, child?
Is the target clear?
Or did you fumble around in the blind dark?
Did you find your arrow where you shot it, child?
And did you shoot straight, child?
Did you hit it?