2026-08

springing back into this with a more mindful stroke
dealing with the harsh truth of a slowing summer
falling into a hole and needing to rise up
playing it as it lies while hell freezes over

thinking that it would last longer than forever
feeling like the warm sun would always keep us warm
finding a dried-up leaf and a fallen white hair
wishing we had more time and had striven to care

shying away from folks in my long early days
becoming outgoing and then stepping back some
rushing in anyhow for that last gasp to speak
shying away from folks too in my short late days

coming into being with no worries in mind
taking time to look through all the things with much care
riding into the fall not knowing it's that late
reading other long lines with a look of sadness

waking with much to do and feeling all ready
drawing some straight edges for the big day ahead
shifting further away from the first goal in mind
finding nothing got done after all that dang time

bursting up and away with the bright gleams today
seeing how things flatten before it even starts
writing down all the things so we don't forget
needing now to look back at all the things we wrote

wondering why this is and then the same with that
getting the quick answers but not trusting them all
feeling more need to read and understand the fall
lifting the head up high after choosing a life

coming into this day all full of hope for thrills
getting on board the line with the rest of the crowds
finding the falls so bland as they have lost their shine
hoping not to come back after this one last time here

waking after a night spent in a made-up world
taking one last long look at this waterfall town
leaving that run-down inn to go back home at last
thinking about nights now of shovelling snow drifts

riding through the long days not worrying about time
finding out much too late about the starting gun
running to latch on quick to whatever we can find
wondering about now the time we still have left

rising with newfound strength in life's long hazy fog
getting out of the house for some time in the town
finding the life, the world, and everything at home
lying down on this bed to soothe the mind at last

looking ahead to lots and lots of things for fun
learning to know what's what and then to understand
putting things together to make something brand new
knowing when to withdraw after doing enough

opening the windows with wonder and smiling
finding out truth and truths and wondering which works
getting rid of those truths which felt so much like lies
sitting by the hearth now and working on the book

getting to the weekend with all these hopes and goals
striving to get things done in the hopes to have fun
looking up and seeing how we have one day left
frowning at the weekend being over too fast

thinking about winter as its own little year
making merry on yule as its own small summer
living the new year's eve like the fall of winter
look out the window at the snow for three months

thinking about the spring as its own little year
seeing easter weekend as the height of the spring
making some time later for things to look back on
waiting while we sit still for the next thing that comes

thinking about summers as their own little years
swarming with happenings in the early goings
laying back in the haze after the seventh month
taking one last big trip before things die down fast

thinking about the fall as their own little years
wondering if the warmth will go on much longer
looking up to see trees with their leaves now all gone
watching gray clouds go by as night comes so early

yelling loudly all day then learning how to learn
keeping up with the things and hoping to get good
getting slowly mixed up soon enough too soon
feeling the time crunching as life spins and spins hard

finding the start so bright and full of hopes and dreams
seeing dreams later die then come true in a way
hitting that stride on time to feel good for a bit
seeing how the years fly we come soon to an end

building them like tall trees with windows to the world
shifting towards the sheets to draw what we all mean
riding out the cool fall with blurry outlines
getting darker with wit and then crazy horseplay

beginning a new game where anything's likely
having one team score first to shift the game's wavelength
having the losing team get close when it gets late
blowing up with fireworks as the winning team roars

building the tall buildings to show how they all think
matching what they see there with a lifelike drawing
becoming more outlined and taking up no room
hardening with stern looks they want no more bullshit

climbing higher to see some bright and shiny things
getting many things done feeling like all is well
having one small slip up and the mind now must work
hoping it blows over and things get answered

buying that new warm home and having many hopes
giving the building lights and making it one's own
finding unwanted cracks that came out of nowhere
patching it all up good and shifting out of here

wanting to grow up fast when we were little kids
watching things come slowly then ever so quickly
wanting more and then less as many things pick up
putting the old brakes on and letting all things slide

looking out with wide eyes for all kinds of new things
holding on to a few after grabbing them all
shoving aside the rest to look closely at one
letting go of the one to live life one last time

making all the mistakes while learning how to live
getting the hang of life after some tens of years
becoming the one name who does that one damn thing
leaving the old workshop to make newer mistakes

starting the day all fresh with great hopes for today
hearing the high bells ring as time quickly flies by
wondering where time went as the sky soon gets dark
ending the day worn out with hopes for tomorrow

landing on the runway feeling ready to go
walking through the small towns and taking it all in
finding some keepers and feeling one with the land
taking off for now and hoping to come again

glowing with great wonder at the start of the day
beginning to see cracks in the walls of these hubs
hiding from the midwits to hone in on some work
going away from crowds for my own holidays