Tick Tock

By Emerson Swift, 12

Sluggish slow-motion,
Motion—we’re stuck,
Stuck in time,
Time flies by,
By our loved ones,
Ones who are sick,
tick,  tick,  tick,
We don’t think there’s hope,
Hope, in everyday things,
Things like chalked messages,
Messages that are kind,
Kind of like inspiration,
Inspiration plays a trick,
tick,  tick,
People nowadays,
Nowadays the hope,
Hope has eyes,
Eyes that are looking
Looking forward to your next breath—
Your next step,
Steps which make invisible imprints,
Imprints that are taking over our planet,
Our planet has kicked us out
Out so it can erase the human’s footprints,
Footprints of the past,
The past can form a path,
A path that we can pick,
tick,
Now write a letter,
Letters are what you receive,
Received from people,
People who are thinking about you
You find yourself wondering,
Wondering what will these memories become?

Emerson Swift, 12
Mill Valley, CA