Tarry Awhile, Time

TARRY awhile. Time, and let me look al your lovely face.
Why do you always hurry by at such an enormous pace?
Is it a game you play.? Are we running a race?

I see you flying before me, as if you sought to escape;
When I look for your notable pan I see your exquisite nape;
You jerk along and I cannot read you; you are ticker tape.

Half your message is lost as you slither towards your appointed goal;
Your ideal is to hop and to skip and to jump and mine is to stroll.
Cannot you sit down just for a minute, my fretful soul?

Then wc could have a chat, Time, then we could get acquainted,
Then I could see if you are hoary and hideous as you are painted,
Then I could see if you are evil or good, accursed or sainted.

Personally I always think you must he extremely young,
Lissom and light, with eyes like the forest pools that the stars dwell among;
You could not hurtle along like that with an ancient’s lung.

But what is the use, how can I know if you smile or frown,
When all I can see is the back of your argent gown?
Time, my bully, my lovely, my angel, won’t you sit down?

What is there in the Future that it attracts you so much?
Are you sure that it is not something like fairy gold or such.
Stuff that withers and fades to ashes whenever you touch?

Time, you are very young, my sweet, or you would not hurry so.
Belter sit down right here; there is nothing better wherever you go.
I am older than you, Time: in fact, I invented you. And I know.