Moose and Squirrel (Revision)

[Todd]

Revision

The first burden of childhood is time.

You learn this at school through the torture
of the clock’s unmoving hands,
no matter how hard you stare.
The cruelty of eternity 

is found in always waiting
beneath your desk, like my mother: frozen 
by the siren, the duck and cover
from light that will blind, then burn, leaving

your shadow an immortal 
chalk drawing
under a soot-filled rain.
For me, oblivion

was as far away as the dinosaurs.
We still counted missiles. Our guns were bigger
until they weren’t. We played G-Men
against Boris and Natasha at recess 

then crowded eye-damagingly close 
to a black and white television, 
its ears stretching like the rabbit 
our magician could never seem to pull

from the hat between his antlers. He'd tear 
away his sleeve, and with a magic pass
of the hand and a confident Presto reveal 
not a bunny but a savage beast.

This is the second burden of childhood.

Original

The first burden of childhood is time,
hour stacked upon hour
a wall of bricks stretching 
into endless forever.

You learn this at school
through the torture of the hands
of the clock that will not move,
no matter how hard you stare.

Eternity is cruel when you’re always waiting
under your desk, like my mother
paralyzed by the siren, the inevitable 
extinction, that blinds, then burns, leaving
 
your shadow an immortal chalk drawing
as you empty from the room, a spilled cup
drained by the coming devastation. For me, oblivion

was as far away as the dinosaurs.
We still counted missiles in our icy war.
Our gun was bigger until it wasn’t.
We played spies at recess. Only, later 

to crowd eye-damagingly close 
to a black and white television, 
its ears stretching like the rabbit, 
our fool magician could never seem to pull

from the hat between his antlers. He'd tear
away his sleeve, and reach down.
Instead of a bunny, he'd reveal a savage beast.

This is the second burden of childhood.

~~
* From the IISZ prompts