Old Father Time sells a watch
Old Father Time once had a shop
And it sold everything that could be got
Riches! Gold! And everything nice!
And yes he would even sell mice!
So one day in came a man
Whose life seemed to have gotten out of hand
His face was so sad and so worn
And his clothes were all torn
“My good man,” said Father Time
“What would you really like?”
“I want a lot,” the man replied,
“Riches, happiness and long life.”
Father Time thought for a long time
As though he was trying to make up a rhyme
At last he said, “Come with me!
I have something you should see!’
Then he produced an old battered watch
Its rims were silver but quite worn
On its face written in a rhyme
Were the words written by time
“I can bring you silver and gold,
Happiness and plenty all at one go!
But beware how you seek
For I will not favour the weak”
The man bought the watch
And brought it home
He waited and waited
For the things it told
Years passed and nothing changed
He had waited and waited in vain
One day at a thousand and two
He wanted to return the watch he took
He called his descendant and went to the shop
And there stood Father Time as before
“I want to return this,” the man said,
“It broke the promise that it made.”
As you see you are a thousand and two
The watch bought you time but you were not wise
And hence you did not use it right
Time can give you silver and gold
But it would not get them for you
You had a chance but you didn’t try
To get what you wanted with your might”
So Father Time ended his speech
While the man stared at his feet
Then passed the watch to his descendant
Warning him to use it different
Copyright © 2011 by May Kwek
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