We enjoyed our second Open Mic Challenge for Mothership-themed poetry. You can read the entries here.
This month’s challenge may take you more than a minute or two to conceive.

 

Winner gets a high resolution version of this jpg inspired by Jules Verne

Write a poem of any kind, from sonnet to free verse,
of 19 lines or less around the theme

TIME.

Now, I know time’s at a crunch these days, so make sure your entry packs a punch!
There are two poems below from the masters to inspire you and two more that I wrote for you to beat. We challenge you to do much better!

HOW IT WORKS

See the CRES Submissions Guidelines for what we like (hint, no horror) .
Enter your 19 line-or-less poem as a comment below this post. Limericks are always welcome!
One entry per a person, please.
The Winner gets two Bs plus a prize, and a pic: Bragging rights & a Badge, a gift subscription to Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores online magazine, and a .jpg of the challenge pic 😀 Also the chance to be part of any anthology we do.
Vote by commenting with MY VOTE under your favorite entry. Comments on the entries are welcome!
If there’s a tie, we’ll get Fran, editor of CRES, to make the final judgement.
Please keep entries and responses friendly to all ages and as lighthearted as possible.
Challenge ends on 22 July 2020. Winner will be announced soon thereafter.

Thanks, and enjoy!

* * *

Lines for a Sun-Dial
by Alfred Noyes

With shadowy pen I write,
Till time be done,
Good news of some strange light,
Some far off sun.

Time XXI
by Khalil Gibran

Illustration Time loveAnd an astronomer said, “Master, what of Time?”

And he answered:

You would measure time the measureless and the immeasurable.

You would adjust your conduct and even direct the course of your spirit according to hours and seasons.

Of time you would make a stream upon whose bank you would sit and watch its flowing.

Yet the timeless in you is aware of life’s timelessness,

And knows that yesterday is but today’s memory and tomorrow is today’s dream.

And that that which sings and contemplates in you is still dwelling within the bounds of that first moment which scattered the stars into space.

Who among you does not feel that his power to love is boundless?

And yet who does not feel that very love, though boundless, encompassed within the centre of his being, and moving not form love thought to love thought, nor from love deeds to other love deeds?

And is not time even as love is, undivided and paceless?

But if in you thought you must measure time into seasons, let each season encircle all the other seasons,

And let today embrace the past with remembrance and the future with longing.

* * *

Ol’ Man Time,
he gave me a dime.
Said, “Invest it well
on something that’ll sell.”
So, I’ve planted more thyme!

* * *

The hand struck midnight,
she flew down the stairs.
Carriages and pumpkins, it just wasn’t fair,
She’d no choice but flight.

The clock struck midday,
she crept down the stair.
Stepmothers and feudal laws, just wasn’t fair.
Fairy godmother promised she’d have her say.

The bells ring at noon
she parades down the stair
in hand with her king, just as fair.
Life’s grand when your dreams manifest so soon!

Over to you!

 

Update 24 July 2020:

With only one entry for this challenge, we can’t quite declare a winner 🙁 But we do thank Absinthe for their great limerick and bravery in tackling such a tough topic. Thank you, Absinthe, We appreciate it!

We hope you’ll join us in our next challenge for August, so stay tuned!