Nell James Tempus
Lights have a way and time, from far beneath these distant nights
I will write of their structures as they seem to sing and recite
(All the years and days, that we try to hold in our hands)
All the seasons of every year
(Above us all, we see them)
See them walking in the sky
Stones follow with the sun, so all who see this shadow owns
(Stones in the earth show time)
Of the measures, we build because we cannot see the unknown
(All the hours and days, that we try to hold in our hands)
All the hours of every day
(Below us all, we see them)
See them leaning on the Earth
What was past, is it still
Still we try to grasp moments as they passed
Past means none, what’s to come
Coming from what’s most, memories are our ghost
Ghosts care not what we see
See not much of time, so just walk our line
Line is long behind now
Now is all that’s here, soon it disappears
Now is all that’s here, soon it disappears
Craft anything we can, the tools for seeing through the days
(Craft tools that see, show time)
As we do we see new ways, every century pass on ways
(All the ticks and tocks, that we try to hold in our hands)
All the ticks and tocks that we make
(Among us all, we see them)
See them shifting in their time
What was past, it is still
Still what we can know, use it for today
Days are short, light is long
Longing for the past, memories are our dreams
Dreams care not what we see
See not much of time, so just walk our line
Line is long behind now
Now is all that’s here, soon it disappears
Now is all that’s here, soon it disappears
Shifting shaping coinciding
Endless thread demands our dividing
