It seems (to me) that Eliot seems to speak of time as though it were standing still while the poem was being written.
...using words like "there will be a time"
"the afternoon, the evening, sleeps so peacefully!"
Time was mentioned, throughout the poem; at the same time, being spoken of like it weren't a factor. It was, sort of, mentioned non-chalantly... the author seeming to accept simply responding to whatever sort of times might show themselves.
