Life On a Cold, Slow World

 

Life on a cold, slow world

On Europa, perhaps, or even Mars

On distant moons and planets of other stars.

 

A minute of time for some anti-freeze being

Might span a year for us human folk

(A greeting could take a week, if spoke.)

 

How fast our busy lives would seem to pass

Through watchful eyes we cannot see

Curious about our amative celerity.

 

The heartbeat of the universe runs slow and deep

We know only violent change, the sudden leap

But that which is most alive appears to sleep.

 

David Oesper