When The Clock Strikes Me

WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES ME -

when the clock strikes me
the big hand will realize the grandeur
of its illusion
and will begin to shrink
in its own eyes
while the little hand
marvels at the ball of energy
spinning from its palm

when the clock strikes me
everything will stop
and that which was nothing
will become the beginning again

when the clock strikes me
numbers will backfire
symbols will become
that which they symbolize
and sayings like 'out of the blue'
will reveal their hidden origin

when the clock strikes me
people will gather to deconstruct
the myths and fables
that conspired against them
and every new song
will be an antivirus
for an old belief

when the clock strikes me
women will close their doors
jump, dance, and bang the walls
in remembrance of their future selves
while men fight internally
to recall the recipe for freedom

when the clock strikes me
men will recall the recipe for freedom
and will begin to form
rescue teams for dreams deferred

when the clock strikes me
some people will have to die

when the clock strikes me
children will find it cool
to be playful
and adults will find it worthwhile
to play like children

when the clock strikes me
the story of jesus
will simply be told as a children's story
where his name will be replaced with the name of every newborn
and families will celebrate every birth
as the rebirth of the messiah
and all people will think of all people
as chosen

when the clock strikes me
buddha will still be laughing

when the clock strikes me
the powers of being will prevail
over the powers that be

when the clock strikes me
thugs and poets will laugh at themselves
businessmen will serve humanity

world leaders will turn to their mothers for advice
and mothers will turn
to their daughters
for inspiration

when the clock strikes me
something will be different
something will feel completely random
the moment will feel slightly eerie
the unexpected will change places
with the predictable
and life will truly feel like an adventure

when the clock strikes me
no alarm will sound
green streaks of light may mark the night
stray cats may purr
and rub themselves against your ankle
many people will double blink
and pinch themselves
and those who normally don't
will notice the moon in broad daylight

when the clock strikes me
it will strike you too
and even your cynicism
and concrete analysis
will be brought into question
as the most beautiful stranger
makes herself/himself known to you


when the clock strikes me
your loved ones
will glow with the beauty
of complete strangers
and you will have to
reintroduce yourself to your parents
for they will have never met
the side of you that dances
just because you found an old recipe

when the clock strikes me
you will be sitting someplace
alone or with another
reading this
and we will both
go off unexpectedly
spines will tingle
eyes will water

and this moment
on this plane
in my favourite jeans
with jimi blaring in my ears
will become NOW
and FOREVERMORE
and more eyes will water
for they will know
and they will feel it
and live it
and they will turn
to the stranger beside them
and say "you have to read this"
and this will go down in history
as one of those moments
when you knew
that nothing would ever
be the same

SAUL WILLIAMS