The Sundial
Heaps of leaves cover
The stone sundial in the park
By a stone angel
A visitor slowly strolls
His "Visitor's Guide" in hand
Sold at the newsstand
The latest tips on races
And some candy bars
While above the sound of cars
An airplane seems to hover
Drifts of snow cover
The stone sundial in the park
And the memorial
The bronze plaque testimonial
Long lists of forgotten names
An old man who's lame
Playing chess with a stranger
He can hardly see
"If it were left up to me
We would build a highrise here"
The councilman sneers,
Grinning avariciously,
And shakes someone's hand
At the rickety newsstand
People seem to speak lower
The New Moon covers
The stone sundial in the park
With the touch of stars
Observed through some jailhouse bars
It looks like another world
Like a dream unfurled
After twenty years apart
A surprised greeting
At the small A.A. Meeting
He's trying to recover
While a hawk hovers
Above the stone sundial
In the city park
An old dog can barely bark
While the sun is rising fast
"This is unsurpassed,
These days that I've spent with you,
I'd like them to last . . ."
Holding hands as they walk past
The smiling teenage lovers
July shade covers
The stone sundial in the park
By the grove of trees
Standing there, he looks displeased
By the message he received
"It's hard to believe
That they would really fire me
After all these years."
There's an odd absence of fear,
But other times were tougher
Like when his mother
Went to work day after day
For very little pay
Even so, she'd often say
"Beauty's there to discover"
Plum blossoms cover
The stone sundial in the park
By the great boulder
Answering her granddaughter,
Grandma says, "Now I'm older."
