Somewhere Over There

 

It was in some other lifetime

Roamed by much younger fools

Tomorrow was a long way off

We swam around in schools

In waters cold and waters warm

Seasons passed without much care

Today was always here and now

The future somewhere over there

 

We laughed at all the warnings

For us the rules did not apply

Our parents never had a clue

Our world had passed theirs by

They tried hard to instill in us

Their ancient forms of truth

But we barreled down the open road

With the naïve aplomb of youth

 

The years just mounted one by one

And our responsibilities grew

The cobwebs of our faded past

Replaced by shadows black and blue

Now we clear a path to wisdom

Recalling lessons that went by

As they circle back to taunt us

Foretold as truths we wouldn’t buy

 

All the old adages and dry clichés

We once thought were full of shit

Had a funny way of coming true

As the consequences found their fit

Yet still we seem to push the days

Exhaled with heavy breaths of air

Praying there are more tomorrows

Waiting somewhere over there

 

s. paul  (Feb. 2023)