Deux versions :

I Have Held Time I

I have held time within my hands.

Like a flower, the pattern of its natural growth

Flowed down the foregone path toward death.

Yet, how brightly wrought it was, if only for a moment!

I have held time within my heart.

Like love, I felt it wither before it ever bloomed,

For lack of warmth, for lack of a caress to spread

Its seed; with care it might have opened in its time.

I have held time within my mind.

I sought to comprehend its intricacy.

The brightness of its facets blinded me,

So how was I to perceive and claim “my” moment?

I have viewed time in a kaleidoscope.

It was what I thought, a man-made bauble

Transmogrified at will, stretched or shrunk,

Flattened or engrossed, a plaything for historians.

I have dabbled and made time my own.

Aware of what I did, I let it languish in its need.

My cruelty rose like bile destroying taste buds, so

I cupped it like a breast and watched it rise to greet me.

I bedded time and let imagination play with us.

Such a dance we choreographed together,

It and I and she, and when we tired of our games ,

I dampened light and passion and slept sated in its arms.

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I Have Held Time II

I have caught time on the wing,

And like a child innocent but amoral,

I tore its gossamer wings to shreds

Because I was curious to see how it worked.

I have held time prisoner,

Not because it had wronged me,

But because I knew myself its prisoner

And thought to prove my power over it.

I have viewed time in a kaleidoscope.

It was what I believed it was, a man-made bauble,

That could be changed at will, stretched or shrunk,

Flattened or engrossed. I made it mine and dabbled some.

I have held time’s bud in my hands.

Delicate as a flower, its natural growth

Constrained it to its foregone destiny: death.

Yet, how brightly wrought it was, if only temporarily!

I have held time in my mind.

In awe, I sought to comprehend its complexity,

Layer upon layer of fine craftsmanship blinded me

In its light facets. Pray, how was I to perceive my moment?

I have held time in my heart.

I felt it shrivel like love before it had matured,

For lack of warmth, for lack of breath to spread

Its seed. With care it might have ripened in its time.

I have made time my creature.

Aware of what I did, I let it languish for need of me.

My cruelty rose like bile, destroying taste buds, so

I cupped it like a breast and watched it rise to greet me.

I took time to bed and imagination played with us.

Such a dance we choreographed together,

It and I and she, and when we tired of the spotlight,

I dampened light and passion and slept safely in its arms.