the thief

summer's not your time, you'll see no more
of those hard days
my promises will beat the sun
at a game that never gave a winner
and i've thrown your hours into the
hungry biting fields
you see them marching rowdy
a wall like no other
taking back their own

autumn fell across the acres
carrying your exhaustion
tossing its shed skin
you believed it some fertility
not the graying day to dust
what a strange and barren pact
slays these months down to nothing
look, you've used them up

childhood is unspare and ravenous
fierce cold hours that breed pain
but you no longer know that time
i stole it when you finally slept
crept neath your bed
you never think to look for thieves
while waiting for the clouds
you can no longer
remember me

i've got old magicks that talk to me
whisper words that i can make dance
they loop and saunter and trick
then bring me gifts
bring me strangeness discarded
for i know some use for all old things
i can barter, give them way to sorcel
and you can't see me
i've taken that as well