Johannes S. H. Bjerg - Three Poems

1.

first thing after making coffee

and rolling a cigarette is

letting my eyes rest on the clock

on the tower across the street

that has stopped at 10 to 8

(the clock not the street

which as such doesn't stop

as it flows into several other streets

that flow into several other streets

that flow into several other streets

that flow into several other streets

and so on till they reach Germany

or drop into to the ocean or

get carried across to Sweden

or Norway or to where ever

ships sail these days)

(- I heard they cancelled the ferries to England.

- Really? Why?

- It's the times. People fly.

- Do they? How do they do that?

- They've got wings, I think

- Must be a new thing. I don't have wings.

- Nor me. We're too old.

- Must be it.

- And to poor.

- Definitely.)

 ***

2.

for a while I watch

a standstill of time

and that expression alone

is enough till someone

talks about bumblebees

on the radio and I'm lost

that's how you break

concentration

on

now

t

 ***

3.

but at least

I can say

I have thought

about time

while watching

it stand

still

so far so good, 2018