 | By now you should be familiar with the quantum mechanics concept of superposition - where an elementary particle can occupy multiple places at one time; a flip side to this have been a staple of science fiction - occupying multiple periods. Brandon Crilly's Moments is one of those stories, but it makes you think of all those precious moments and missed opportunities. Although the story is brief, it's depth can be felt by anyone wishing to turn back the clock for a second chance... |
"Time travel used to be thought of as just science fiction, but Einstein's general theory of relativity allows for the possibility that we could warp space-time so much that you could go off in a rocket and return before you set out."
Stephen Hawking, 'A Brief History of Time' (1988)
At 11:17 a.m. on my third day,
I saw you across the quad
But you disappeared before I could reach you.
At 4:55 p.m. in 1919,
One of Clemenceau's aides got in my way
And you were gone again.
At 8:23 p.m. in 1604,
You smiled at me in the Globe
When I said, "So Shakespeare did exist."
At 9:31 p.m. in 1935,
The Mahatma made you blush.
I have the photo to prove it.
At 10:54 a.m. in 1763,
Convincing Catherine that I was Voltaire
Was not fair payback, and you know it.
At 7:03 a.m. in 2001,
I stopped you from saving someone,
Knowing you might never speak to me again.
At 1:58 p.m. on my nineteenth day,
We convinced you it was still worth it.
My motives were selfish.
At 4:40 p.m. in 50 BCE,
I proved you're more beautiful than Cleopatra,
Just to make you smile again.
At 12:01 a.m. in 1420,
We wrote our names on a boulder
And promised it we'd visit later.
At 6:28 p.m. on my thirty-fourth day,
You talked me out of going forward
Since for us, now matters more than someday.
At 9:42 a.m. in 1955,
I skateboarded around a clocktower.
At least you got the joke.
At 2:12 p.m. in 1770 BCE,
I shouldn't have dared you
To offer Hammurabi a fake eye as trade.
At 3:15 p.m. in 1851,
We kissed under the Crystal Palace
And told Charlotte Bronte not to stare.
At 6:43 a.m. in 1355,
I lost sight of you for a moment
But that moment mattered more than any other.
At 5:09 p.m. someday later,
They convinced me to stop searching
But I shouldn't have listened.
At 11:10 a.m. on some other me's first day,
I wanted to stop you crossing the quad
Even though it doesn't work that way.
At 12:01 a.m. in 2004,
I fulfilled the promise to our boulder
Knowing someday it won't be there.
At 8:18 p.m. on my last day,
Breaking every law was worth it
To see you smile in the Globe again.
I saw you across the quad
But you disappeared before I could reach you.
At 4:55 p.m. in 1919,
One of Clemenceau's aides got in my way
And you were gone again.
At 8:23 p.m. in 1604,
You smiled at me in the Globe
When I said, "So Shakespeare did exist."
At 9:31 p.m. in 1935,
The Mahatma made you blush.
I have the photo to prove it.
At 10:54 a.m. in 1763,
Convincing Catherine that I was Voltaire
Was not fair payback, and you know it.
At 7:03 a.m. in 2001,
I stopped you from saving someone,
Knowing you might never speak to me again.
At 1:58 p.m. on my nineteenth day,
We convinced you it was still worth it.
My motives were selfish.
At 4:40 p.m. in 50 BCE,
I proved you're more beautiful than Cleopatra,
Just to make you smile again.
At 12:01 a.m. in 1420,
We wrote our names on a boulder
And promised it we'd visit later.
At 6:28 p.m. on my thirty-fourth day,
You talked me out of going forward
Since for us, now matters more than someday.
At 9:42 a.m. in 1955,
I skateboarded around a clocktower.
At least you got the joke.
At 2:12 p.m. in 1770 BCE,
I shouldn't have dared you
To offer Hammurabi a fake eye as trade.
At 3:15 p.m. in 1851,
We kissed under the Crystal Palace
And told Charlotte Bronte not to stare.
At 6:43 a.m. in 1355,
I lost sight of you for a moment
But that moment mattered more than any other.
At 5:09 p.m. someday later,
They convinced me to stop searching
But I shouldn't have listened.
At 11:10 a.m. on some other me's first day,
I wanted to stop you crossing the quad
Even though it doesn't work that way.
At 12:01 a.m. in 2004,
I fulfilled the promise to our boulder
Knowing someday it won't be there.
At 8:18 p.m. on my last day,
Breaking every law was worth it
To see you smile in the Globe again.
