Time Tower-In Retrospect

Can you hear them?

Chimes from the clock tower at a distant college.

Muffled by the buffer of wooded hills and large, green lawns.

Within the campus, the ringing waves of sound crash

against dormitories and classrooms,

Bringing structure, stability, certainty—

Every hour on the hour.

Four final years of college camaraderie before matriculating

into unfamiliar chaos.

Where the comforting melody of hourly chimes

is drowned out by the loud rush of reality.