Ask One of Those Things Up There

Say, who thought up twelve hours to a clock
and with much fickleness multiplied that by two
to make a day?
Why does 12 hang so lofty
while 6 languishes below,
Why do numbers 9 and 3
stare at each other so?
Why does lanky underfed second hand march about
while stately fat minutes are marked slower
and the hour barely lifts a finger?
This testimony
to human incompetency
I'd throw out the nearest window,
go
ask the sun, or the moon, or the stars,
or whoever else happens to be passing by.

28 March 2007