A STUDY IN TIME

A STUDY IN TIME-UNTITLED

I like studying the poetry of other poets to try to better my writing and see where I am in comparison and progression-educate myself, if you will.

As such, I paste and copy a poem and ask my Copilot AI for an analysis. It is fascinating at the depth it can go to, and it teaches me about my own writing as we go.

In that process, today, I came across an old poem I had written when I first begin this journey. It was one of my 1st to actually reach for more than just "how much I love and miss you". I presented it to my AI for analysis and after the evaluation the word "vainglorious" popped into my thoughts.

I asked Copilot to define it, and it said it would give me the "etymology" and proceed to break down vainglorious then I asked for a breakdown of "etymology" cuz what a word that is!

As I am reading I am looking at this old poem and like breaking into a safe, I could hear the clicking as it was falling into place and the final piece, "etymology", fell! This revision is the result.

I am publishing the original piece titled "UNTITLED" cuz it was not really going anywhere and thus why title it? I never published it any where as it would be like selling a half-built house-why? But as a study in how the mind works and how things left on the shelf don't always disappear, I will also publish the revision titled appropriately "A study in time" as it covers my early voice and how I have grown into today. I still carry the same convictions but tend to whisper in the ear than to bludgeon one over the head. The revision was written today at 11am. The original is first:

UNTITLED (2008)

LENGTH OF CHAIN

WRAPPED 'ROUND NECK SO WILLING..

GOLD CHASES HIGHEST BIDDER,

BARTERED SOUL...

WHAT'S YOUR PRICE?

FOOL'S GOLD..OR..

GOLD'S FOOL!

ENSCONCED 'PON BITTER PODIUM,

PRONOUNCING JUDGEMENT..NOT KNOWING

OPPRESSED AND OPPRESSOR

STAND EQUAL BEFORE GOD.

YOU'VE CHASED THE DEVIL'S TAIL!

WHAT..

HAVE YOU RISKED?

DID YOU WAGER ON THE CORNERSTONE?

OR

LAY UP RICHES UPON THE BACK OF THE WRETCHED?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A STUDY IN TIME-UNTITLED (6-25-2026)

REVISION OF UNTITLED

FROM 2006 TO TODAY

Shall I put my vainglory on display?

Perhaps make it..

A length of chain..

Wrap it around my neck..

So willing to chase the gold of the highest bidder.

I am a bartered soul,

You and I set our price.

But is it fool's gold..or..

Are we but golden fools?

We sit upon our bitter podiums,

Pronouncing judgement

Not knowing we are equal..

Oppressed and oppressor.

I've chased the devils tail!

What have you risked?

Do you wager on a cornerstone..

or

Lay up riches on the backs of the wretched?

Your truth lies in the etymology of your words.