Fourty-five Minutes

There were fourty-minutes in that day
everything else grayed out
like a chimney blackened with soot
except where the flame shoots through

From beind the ledge
a snow leapard leaps
into the air
majestically
her eyes transfixed on something
bright and focused

Fourty-five minutes
of thrill
to watch
to be

Fourty-five minutes
to think together
dream a dream in color
sleep lightly, without fears
forget worries and dance
cook a meal
eat a meal, albeit very fast
watch a snow leopard leap
a tiger to defend its cub
a baby to be born
a room to be painted
a new wall to be broken and
light to enter
to worship
to get a foot massage
to go for a walk
or a run
in the rain
with cars honking
without a jacket

Fourty-five minutes
to wait for someone
for a phone call
to see a painting
to watch a flock of seagulls to land
to cuddle together behind a rock
to huddle together under a tree
to solve a riddle
to make a riddle
or to jump of the saddle and lead

If you had just fourty-five minutes
and you had to choose
will you watch a snow leopard leap?
Will you be a snow leopard leaping?