The Traveler

I came across a strange man
while walking on my land
perched upon a rock
at me he waved his hand
as I approached him
offering this he said
"I have arrived here on this rock
at this present time"
"I am here to meet a
fellow traveler of time

I stared at him agog
not believing what I heard
he said that on this spot
his arrival had been planned
I thought he asked what time it was
so I produced my watch
he slowly shook his head
and slyly he mocked
"What precisely is the year?"
he asked
as he sat back on the rock

I started to relay
an answer to the man
the year is 2768
that we are standing in

His eyes grew large
his face went white
the blood just drained away
grasping at my shoulder he asked
"What year did you say?"
again I told him the year
in which he had arrived
he screamed aloud and clutched his head
"Why oh why oh why?"

"why have I arrived here
so badly misplaced in time?"
"all that I have known
is just dust left behind"
"700 years ago my counterpart was here"
"I wonder how long he waited
and did he remain here?"

I asked him the name
of this counterpart of his
I laughed aloud as he relayed
a name that I knew well
he rattled off the name
of my ancestor and me

Our family had arrived here
oh so long ago
but it was never explained
just how this spot was chose
it seems clear enough
now that he is standing here
this man standing before me
was responsible it appears
for our people to have arose
from the very dust
of this lonely tiny rock
floating through the dusk

as I explained these facts
the man began to grin
"It seems as though our meeting
has... finally.. happened"