POETRY
Past and Future
Time flies in a window

Images of things to come confront me And the past is never really dead Only, sometimes, quiet.
Regrets for things I’ve done still haunt me. Anticipate. Remember. What’s behind me? Who’s ahead? This hour, I know, is twilight.
If I could see the mistakes I will surely make And avoid the misdeeds of tomorrow The future, immaculate, ahead…
If I could undo the cruelties of yesterday The sickness, the suffering, the sorrow I would lighten the souls of the dead.
But I can’t right what is wrong today alone Nor alter the patterns people cling to And depend on. Too much.
I can’t change what already has been done Only share in the pain that has come to you And hurt you. So much.
And I can try very hard to make you happy. At least that is a purpose I can touch.
Jim Dutton © 2021
