O’ Pater’s Chronograph

Poem for my dad

I set my divers watch by flow of water 

strap sheathing my wrist, inked by certitude  in permanency 

of a wheel, by swivel a second nature

tickings tame lightly, a trialed timepiece
stalwart, stand guard over son’s sanctuary 

mainly in memory, a compass handed clockwise in peace time’s trials
protective as crystal atoning neutral currency 

counter to belief
as mine father taught me 

encounter wise, clocked and crowned
a smart man in movement
watching content, witness trapped under glass case-
unalarmed in metal spinning among sprocket walled against 

enveloped yet steel by bezel once more immune to madness still 

progeny guided sweetly in precision at best 

psalms for the soundless, a frequency bound for northeast 

or even the caterwaul calling northwest 

sundials mine father brought me
holding my hand at least 

strapping by nature a disk spun, mortal coils uncover imperfections timed by peace of mind  

to unbind atomic frequency
my strap again a beast 

lest mostly memorial piece of mine 

lay last wrist clock upon my stand 

fade old west-a myth 
temperament a force til his last

hale mine father a compass by scope 
forevermore ambit of Elysian Fields and nova’s unfair burst 

second nature, hands spinning his son 

to which naturally 
nurture was first