one: mississippi

a second is an interval/with which we gain precision/in reckoning a rate of fall/with unitary fission

two: mississippi

“back in two seconds,” we will say/and we are either liars/or time-dilators who hold sway/and scoff at all deniers

three: mississippi

among the rules of basketball/to stifle strife’s striation/if in the key too long you stall…/three-second violation.