Hands of Time

Someone asked me to pen some lines on time,
so I observed a picture of Big Ben;
mere pixels on a page of course won't chime,
yet since I saw his face I knew the when.

Both hands were clearly pointed at the one--
the light of day helped me to be alert;
and whether or not timekeeping was done,
I noticed both Ben’s hands appeared inert.

Of course, his hands were free and did not squeeze,
as in a clock or watch they will go by;
time ticks along with its unending ease,
yet in a picture, time is free to lie.

  I saw the hands of Ben completely still,
  but I know time proceeds and always will.


(Big Ben is a famous clock in the
Palace of Westminster in London.)