Never by gold or silver hands br On a black face, or bonging br Menacingly from a tower br In some foreign place. br br Certainly never digitaly flashing br From a VCR, mircrowave oven, br Bank sign or anything else. br br No chasing the second hand across br A stark white face while br Killing time in a cubicled space. br br Never from the top right corner br Of a computer monitor while br Stiff-necked and numbed br By the keyboard's clatter. br br Never bejeweled, phospheresent br Or waterproof. br br Never from my wrist, or any other wrist, br Hanging from a chain br Or from a stranger's lips. br br No Grandfather clocks, br Mickey Mouse watches, hour glasses, br Punch clocks, alarm or cookoo clocks. br br But only from this quartz clock, br With its glass face rimmed in gold, br And its gears exposed, br Is true time told. br br Always in the right place, br Set on freshly dusted and polished wood in front br Of the wide living room window. br br The numbers br Are there, if you care. br Thin and suspended, br Secondary to what passes br Through and by its face. br br Blowing leaves, swirling snow, cars, br Birds, walkers, children, the mailman, br Bicyclists, funeral processions. br br The morning's first bright sun, br Sliced thin by vertical blinds, br Projected onto the hardwood floor br Through its glass face.