Swinging Mind

Pendulum swings, its gears shriek
The rope stings, taught and sleek
I can’t see how far the pendulum has come
Its slow shrieking progress continues to thrum
It never slows; it never speeds
It may grow quiet, but it never leaves

Always swinging forth and back
My swinging mind falls off the track
Time ticks away, so slow, then so fast
I try to think through this chaotic dance
One plan is constant, but can’t be reached
It tears at my soul like a hungry beast
Always swinging back and forth
More shit to let go, more shit to sort


I feel the wind from the pendulums swing
Is it closer, or is that how it seems?
Waiting for the time when I won’t feel undone
Not knowing how to begin what I want begun
My body is here, no telling the mind
Can’t figure escape from my self made binds

Always swinging forth and back
My swinging mind falls off the track
Time ticks away, so slow, then so fast
I try to think through this chaotic dance
One plan is constant, but can’t be reached
It tears at my soul like a hungry beast
Always swinging back and forth
More shit to let go, more shit to sort

The Pendulum is close, but it won’t fall
It will keep making its maddening call
The shriek will always undulate, but never completely dissipate

Written May 7th, 2005

- return to poetry index