Seventeen sum three,
Four units fallen short,
These balanced plates on plates,
Lean loud and scrape a shrill,
Up at the height of twenty four,

Alas
they
crash.

They tumble to the gates of time,
"Wait four times" the mighty clock decreed,
"You grow like pretty flowers by the stream,
It shan't be long to stand amongst the trees!"

Eighteen sum three,
Three units fallen short,
These rocking stones on stones,
Creak out like pestle on their leaning mortar,
Wafting spices short of twenty four,

Alas
they
crash.

They tumble to the gates of time,
"Wait three rhymes" the clock explained,
"You take up size like hills in delta plains,
It shan't be long to dance with mountains in the rain."

Nineteen sum three,
Two units fallen short,
These towering bricks on brick ,
Grind cement like gum between their layered teath,
Glaring hurried up at twenty four,

Alas
they
crash.

They tumble to the gates of time,
"Wait two breaths" the clock begun,
"You take up size like filling lungs,
It shan't be long to bear your breath on shanties sung."

Twenty sum three,
One unit fallen short,
These leaning sticks on sticks,
Strike out a pose amongst the trees,
Just short the canopy of twenty four,

Alas
they
crash.

They tumble to the gates of time,
"Wait just once!" the clock chastised,
"You take up size like mounting cries,
It shan't be long to reach the ears of suits and ruling ties."

Twenty one sum three,
No units fallen short,
These sure layers on layers,
Call out the hum of mountains in their depths,
A summit in line with twenty four,

They
Crash
No
More.

Now rumbled from the gates of time,
"Take heart my little days" the clock called out,
"I told you that with patience you would sprout,"
"With long-suffering firm like rockforms in the rain,"
"With rejoicing hum a deep refrain,"
"With persistence see petitions chime,"
"Like incense in the ruling halls,"
"He made you big though you were small,"
"Now dance with me all through the year,"
"This twenty four is met and overcome."