Jared Beloff

Experiments with the Perception of Time

They brought the bees underground frothing
in the dark to see if they could determine
time’s movement, leave the hive’s geometry,
return to the humming order of a moment.
But what does it matter whether we are caught
in the angled slice of light, the ochre tint of home,
promise’s syruped smell in a petri dish?
We feel earth’s imperceptible arm toppling
on its axis, twitching with a drone’s rhythm,
wind ringing our ears: each cell ruptured in song.
I watched you leave. Waited for you—
Routines cloying as coffee grounds, a stirring spoon.
I wanted to press down, still their clockwork, forget
each grain, sip only sweetness clear as water.

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Jared Beloff is a teacher and poet who lives in Queens, NY with his wife and two daughters. You can find his work in Contrary Magazine, The Westchester Review, Gyroscope Review and elsewhere. You can find him online at www.jaredbeloff.com. Follow him on twitter @read_instead.