common time

by Matthew Stokdyk

there is no was anymore
(hell, there’s hardly any is).
march on,
beat four don’t care for three
(much less two)
(but still looks ahead to one).
one day you’ll forget zero day,
i swear, and someday
you’ll finally be in love with twoday.
but first y’all got to start counting again—
and you are am, and time still is.
so move, for in motion
you move to beat four
and finally get a glimpse at one.
one is is; and four is was—
start your measure.