I have a time

to give you.

I have a moment to spare,

thanks to the clock

on the mantel.

I want you to know

that once,

I adored you.

Once I left you

in charge of the children,

and you let them

go astray.

You led them away

from me.

My dogs are tired,

and the heat

takes a toll.

I used to want more

than the average bear,

I used to strive

toward Jupiter.

I wanted to walk

on Saturn’s sandy rings,

and deploy my parachute

on Mars.

I’ve mountains to cross,

rivers to ford.

I’ve kissed the waves

on two oceans,

and dipped my toes

in the Mediterranean Sea.

It was there that the fossil

I found, I took home,

and bound by its secrets,

I buried it.

There is no place

like the home you dig into,

and the place you put

old treasures.

And I’ve a lot of bags

of dust crusted things,

and tomes of forgotten

memories.