Tanjobi*

My husband bought a clock for my birthday. It was made in Germany, 1892.
on the back an engraved handwritten note said:

this clock was given to Pearl Tatum by her third son to be passed on to her granddaughter Marinette Tatum which shall be given to her son Kholis H Mitchell.

Every 15 minutes it chimes a Big Ben sound. A silver fisheye pendulum swings side to side. We you look into the pendulum you see yourself and the whole room swinging.

Yas, the watchman, said:

in a week or so you won’t even hear it anymore.

But I hope that’s not true. I want to hear time slipping by.

74 years of living
my hair still black as night
Grandpa’s gift

*Tanjobi -Nihongo for Birthday.

 watashi no tanjobi
Published in Haiku Journal, Ireland, Fall, 2022, editor Sean O'Conner