the wisdom of hindsight

in childhood years –

time passes tortoise-slow / eternities separate each birthday /
Christmas never comes / impatient to grow / we’re bored for long hours in school holidays

as immortal teens –

we take risks / talk loud / face rites of passage / our first shy romance /
first kiss / first sex / our tribe claims us / we swear blood-sealed oaths / we need to defy parents / seize independence

in mid-life –

time stalls / duties pile on over our heads / our dreams cast for futures of freedom and fun / jam maybe tomorrow / if it should come

over the hill –

before you know it / your span’s nearly done / you’re rheumatic and maudlin / time roller-skates on / relish time from the start / to be sure / for all / death awaits