Tick tock, tick tock, life’s ardent beat,
Each face, each clock, the same, but not.
Keen hands mark time’s juncture complete.

The sun and moon once again meet,
Yesterday, in the logbook slot.
Tick tock, tick tock, life’s ardent beat.

Minutes, hours, a day’s gay fete,
Ignored seconds, drops in a pot.
Keen hands mark time’s juncture complete.

Wrinkles simulate rows and pleats,
And petals open, fall and rot.
Tick tock, tick tock, life’s ardent beat.

Tragedy befalls; feigns defeat.
Time delivers the healing shot.
Keen hands mark time’s juncture complete.

Earth spins, revolutions replete.
Father Time continues his trot.
The clock heeds not the tether and cleat,
For keen hands mark time’s juncture complete.

Source of Inspiration
Yet another Villanelle!  But I thoroughly enjoy writing Villanelles, made popular in France in the 1700’s.  The challenge is the form and rhyming expectations.  But that is what makes it fun!  It affords me the opportunity to play word games trying to come up with a list of words that rhyme is the first step.  For years now, I have saved a file with napkins or deposit skips or whatever, with phrases scribbled in any empty space, inspirations for a poem.  This one was written around an old unfinished crossword puzzle.  Funny!
The Clock of Life was published in Best Poets of 2014.

Earnest words of love, hope, and peace
Quell a world of malice.  Beware!
Words, like chambered bullets release.

Envoys post proverbs to appease
Cloaked zealots in their mountain lair.
Earnest words of love, hope, and peace.

Angry banter daftly unleash
Consequentially uncaring
Words, like chambered bullets release.

Hope for help for guiltless deceased,
Reluctant martyrs unaware.
Earnest words of love, hope, and peace.

Hatred for the unknown must cease,
Stifle fanatic tongues that flare.
Words, like chambered bullets release.

Love All!  Pray vile hatred to cease.
Tolerance and patience take care
With earnest words of love, hope, and peace.
For words, like chambered bullets release.

Source of Inspiration
This poem was broiling in my head for, well, maybe years.  As a writer, I love to use and play of words.  But I am continually amazed that words spoken in anger, or prejudice, or hate, are words that should either never been spoken or spoken in a different manner, with less anger and a dash of kindness.  Even words spoken through emotion can be phrased in a manner to get the point across without losing ones “cool”, and showing ones “arse” as the English say.  Just because someone else is behaving in an asinine way, doesn’t mean one should reflect the attitude.  And there you have the soap box version!
Words, Like Chambered Bullets was published in Who’s Who in American Poetry, 2013.