a wave swells, rises, peaks, and breaks
vanishing at a single tick of the longest hand
the next wave rises, and you forget that the first ever existed

a cloud forms, fattens, floats, and falls away
another cloud takes its place - the usual white, drifting mass
the moon continues to glow, unaffected

you are born, you grow, you love, and then you die
you and your wealth, your power, your reputation
when faced with eternity, you are nothing
but a wave in the ocean, a cloud in the sky