Hourglass
A poem by Hope Clayton

Hourglass

We have always tried
to capture 
time

water clock dripping 
liquid into 
a vessel

sundial casting 
shadow onto 
stone

hourglass spilling 
sand through a narrow 
neck

Now Beverley unbinds 
the hands 
of time

turns hourglass 
on its 
side

time-travels freely 
through her shifting 
memories

and stops to find 
the fancy 
swimsuit

mother bought in Paris
in nineteen forty-
three

dreams of ocean waves
as she shakes out
the sand

About the Author:

Hope Clayton has lived a life filled with writing and music. Before retiring, she taught English and creative writing to women at King Abdulaziz University (Saudi Arabia), was a technical editor and writer for government agencies, wrote grant proposals, and was an academic instructor for at-risk students at Florida State College at Jacksonville. She also performed professionally as both a sacred music and jazz singer; her jazz album Introducing Hope Clayton, can be heard on Spotify. Her recent poems have appeared in A Gathering of Poets and A Gathering of Poets 2 (available on Amazon), 3rd Wednesday, and Moss Gossamer: Poetry of NE FL.

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