I measure the period between two shells. One second.
One second: shorter than the time between breathing in and breathing out, between two heartbeats.
One second is not long enough for me to stand before the stove by the glass facade that overlooks the sea.
One second is not long enough to open the water bottle or pour the water into the coffee pot.
One second is not long enough to light a match.
But one second is long enough for me to burn.

-Mahmoud Darwish.