I am to understand I swim in a sea of time
although this teaspoonful
is all I have at hand.
So thought Einstein
and the thought brought to mind
his old hero Archemides of Syracuse.
"My dear Archemides, a dumb soldier
put you to the sword 
despite the invading commander's order-
spare the great Archemides.
I am old enough to realize I am close to the edge
the edge that halted your breathtaking work
but try as I might (I chuckle)
I can find no special circumstances
and can summon no vertigo."
In imagination Archemides can be heard responding
"Each thought, like yours, 
I represent as a grain of sand
on one beach of one world.
Let the worlds be infinite, I dream of a system
to count each grain of sand. 
If any is greater than another 
as yet, evidence is slim.
Fundamentally let me say I believe
each is already counted
for none is ever isolated
and the influence of their merest properties
is felt all around them. 
I dearly wish my mentor Pythagorus
were here to follow these 
meandering speculations to their conclusion."
Pythagorus of Samos
may, in imagination, answer thus
"I have found on my brief journey
the sea gives up answers
as naturally as making waves.
I am confident all great projects 
will be continued by other minds
taking to the sea 
and us as dust piled around the edge. 
I believe many willfully misread my quest
and would set me at the heart of a conflagoration.
I say any grain of dust running through a child's fingers
may catch the light and be a diamond
or a ruby. Is this not a fair fate 
for such a tiny spark of life?
A crystal glass slipped from Einstein's hand
as he made his way up to bed
"Ok. Ok, I'll clear it up tomorrow"