A year seeps away

A little leak
unnoticed at first
but the monthly water bill
soon registered an increase
I couldn't explain.

Peering down at the water meter
I could see it clicking off numbers
and hear a slight stream of current
even though I thought
the water was off

A neighbor came
to report water
pooling in his yard
downhill from mine.

Beside the house,
one of underground pipes
for the sprinklers moaned
and water bubbled up
through the earth and decaying leaves.

A plumber repaired it,
"Good as new," he said.
"No it's not," I thought,
thinking about this year
seeping away toward
another birthday.

 But maybe I have it backwards
Earlier years seemed to crawl by
but now there's a flood
of memories, and time rushing by.