Time is a runner who runs every race.
But he never runs in just one place.
You can’t hide from him; he’s everywhere.
And yet he’s always gone before you get there.
He doesn’t care that you can’t catch up.
You can’t expect him to stay and wait up.
He runs so fast some people say he flies.
He runs so fast you can’t believe your eyes.
He can’t be caught and he can’t be stopped.
He can’t be bought and he can’t be topped.
He never bothers to stop and smell the roses.
He just runs right on past and under our noses.
He never bothers to bend and tie his shoelaces.
Not when his job is to be in so many other places.
He never bothers to rest or put up his tired feet.
He never bothers to stop and grab a bite to eat.
He never bothers to sleep or lay down his head.
Not when his job is to run out and around instead.
Some say he’s selfish and to him we are all the same.
They say for him our life is just one big race or game.
Others say he’s selfless and often can be very kind.
They say he heals all wounds and helps all mankind.
All I know is that where ever he goes he leaves behind
Either great regrets or great memories meant to remind.
(c) 2013 copyright Elena Plotkin
i'm sending to a friend, Tom Billsborough, in England. ;) bri
it's as true or false today as it was when i first read it,1 1/2 years ago. it is TIMELESS! ! so many good/great lines! ! ! to MyPoemList....in case it ain't already there. it is like Poe or Shakespeare; it delights over...................time. bri :)
A wonderful and fun poem. The rhyme brought it to life. I enjoy poems on this subject. Thanks, Elena.
i like this exercise in rhyming and playing with the concept of time as a being. i don't agree that time always does one or the other in the last line. i have some small regrets and some good memories, but neither my regrets nor my memories would be called great by me. i guess i've led a boring life! maybe my favorite lines: He never bothers to stop and smell the roses. He just runs right on past and under our noses - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - When it's TIME to play: there's never ENOUGH. When it's TIME to work: TOO MUCH. Too tough! bri ;)
'All I know is that where ever he goes he leaves behind Either great regrets or great memories meant to remind.' A great conclusion to a great concept! Good rhyme, good theme. Over all, a great poem!
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Great exploration of the roles time plays. I love the personification and the parallelism, and the couplet structure works exceptionally well for what you're going for. A wonderful description of a topic that's hard to describe.