two of the old guys
of our group
at the downtown café
developed a
thing:

one of them bought
a watch
so the other one
bought a watch

they compared them

then the first guy
bought another
watch

then the second guy

then the first one
again

soon they were both
wearing five or six
watches
at a
Time
then 12 or 13
on both arms &
legs

& they were cheap watches,
too

they kept comparing them
intensely &
bragging about
them
while the rest of us
played ukuleles &
spoke of other
things

I thought
this might go on
‘til the END
of
TIME

were their copious
watches
somehow prolonging
their
years?

would they never
be late
again?

what were they
getting out of
this?

it bugged me

would one final
watch
outshine them
all &
blow the whole
game?

& if they got infinite
watches
would they then
literally be
KEEPING TIME?

I don’t know
but I’ve gotta go
now
Time’s running
out