Hermann Kern, “The Watchmaker” (1905)

The Clockmaker

Tick tick tick,
The clockmaker grinned,
Half blind, half deaf, but gleeful.
Crick crick crick,
Goes the clockmaker’s bones,
He’s getting quite old and feeble.
Tock tock tock,
The clockmaker weakens,
His hands are shaky and thin.
Knock knock knock,
Goes the man at the door,
Whom the clockmaker doesn’t let in.
Tick tick tick,
Goes the clock on the wall,
With rusting, spinning sprockets.
Click click click,
Go the little odd parts,
That the clockmaker holds in his pockets.
Tock tock tock,
Goes the big, old clock,
His hours ahead of the rest.
Lock lock lock,
Goes the big, old doors,
Of a paranoid man with a guest.
The minutes countdown,
The time is too late,
He shuts up the doors,
But the clock’s chiming eight.
Slowly, the clock,
That’s been running for years,
With a sad, ebbing ticking,
Of warm, rusted gears,
Comes to a halt,
As the doors open wide,
And the heart of the clockmaker
Dwindled and died.

Creatures of Darkness

Creatures of darkness and creatures of fright,
We implore you to join our circle tonight.
Creatures who strangle, scratch, and bite,
We ask you come toward to our candle light.
Creatures of shadow, creatures of pain,
Come to my friends, good sick and sane.
Creatures of greed and creature of bane,
We ask that you walk down our fire-lit lane.
Monsters of loss and demons of death,
We bring you offerings of life and of breath.
Monsters who creep through shadow unknown,
Who whisper to those when they are alone,
Come now to seek, past, present, and soon,
To witness the burial of this bright shining moon.
To plunge earthly world to sorrow and night,
Creatures of darkness and creatures of fright,
We implore you to join our circle tonight.