Common Classroom Clock

In a world obsessed with color,
What appeal can be found
In a faded parchment-colored circle,
With black lines and curves, just one
Streak of color - red?

In an age fixated on progression,
Why do three hands,
Who only move in circles,
Again, again, again, same pace,
So often catch the attention of students?

In a generation focused on uniqueness,
What is special about each circle,
Found in nearly every room, everywhere,
With even marks around the edges,
And a diversion only from three uneven lines?

Perhaps it is the human nature,
A love of the known, of constants,
That draws eyes to black-and-white,
Moving in circles, so we always know
Just what comes up next.


~Harshini Jayaram