TIMELINE: New Poem by Todd Swift

TIMELINE

I loved the moon

Then they invented fire

I loved water

Then they invented steel

I loved air

Then they invented song

I loved the ground

Then they invented walls

And all these new things

Took my heart away

So I loved them more

And loved the old ones less

As a suitor’s heart sinks

At the sight of a sister’s dress

And how it clings softly

I loved The Word

Then they made the press

I loved the poem

Then they made the book

I loved the film

Then they made radio

I loved The Shadow

Then they made TV

And all these new things

Took my heart away

So I loved them more

And loved the old ones less

As a suitor’s heart sinks

At the sight of a sister’s dress

And how it clings softly

I loved the box set

Then they gave us games

I loved the joystick

Then they gave us Internet

I loved facebook

Then they gave us apps

I loved tweeting

Then they gave us Tinder

And all these new things

Took my heart away

So I loved them more

And loved the old ones less

As a suitor’s heart sinks

At the sight of a sister’s dress

And how it clings softly

Moon, fire, water, steel,

Air, song, ground, walls,

Word, press, poem, book,

Film, radio, Shadow, TV

Box set, games, joystick, Internet

Facebook, apps, tweeting, Tinder

I loved them all, tenderly,

As each broke and fell and gave

Way to the following wave,

And the beach is littered

With what I forgot to save

And recall, and all I loved

Fit best in the palm of my eye,

In the corn of a stalking poem,

In the ray of the green sun,

The first beam that was undone

When shade as intercession

Moved between the lover

And the making hand

On the wall where blood

And paste dyed caves human:

Image makes heaven

Descend and a fearless angel

Lie down with the uncombed lion

And all these new things

Took my heart away

So I loved them more

And loved the old ones less

As a suitor’s heart sinks

At the sight of a sister’s dress

And how it clings softly

poem by Todd Swift, copyright 2014