Time.

it just tik tik tik toks away.

you just lost a second.
a minute.
a moment.

precious moments forever lost.

It takes a second for blood to fall.
a minute for it to slide down the stag's antlers to his head.
a moment for the hearts to replace what has been lost.

He gazed out from his thicket, his throne, shadowed within the trees and the ferns, watched others drink from the shallow pond edge, watched them bow to the gods.

From his throne he looked out upon his kingdom, moments passing, minutes, he didn't keep track, didn't care.

A bird chirped.
A squirrel rushed by.

A hoof shot out, catching the rodent sharply under his leg, listened, seconds, the animal's heart beat beat beating.

Moments.
Minutes later he curled his limb beneath him again, watching it leave.


"Three, six, nine, the goose drank wine,
The monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line."

He crooned softly to himself.

A few deer paused to listen though they soon moved on, the sight of blood, the scent of decay drove them off.

"The lion choked, the monkey croaked,
And they all went to hell in a little row boat"