Time

Does it slip ‘like sand through an hourglass’?
Or, merely get lost along the way, bogged
down with the day-to-day living, forgotten
amongst the rubbish of necessary?

One day, a child with nothing to worry
about except imaginary friends, then time
for school, must be on time, making the grade,
being in the right place, doing the right thing.

Finding yourself on the outside looking in,
lost, never belonging, missing something
you can’t even name. Rushing, chasing after
some dream someone told you that you should

want. Then out in the world you go – time
for work, punching a time clock, get your forty
hours in, make it count. Climb the ladder, always
seeking the dream, success. More money, more

bills, no time for the kids, no time for friends.
Until you wake up old, gray, all alone, wondering
how you lost forty years. Facing a reflection
you don’t recognize. Always wondering how

time got away from you. Wishing
for something you threw away
a long time ago.