Long Gone
Long Gone
Long gone, past, forgotten or lost,
Missing, awol, blown off course,
Bereft, abandoned, ground to dust,
Disconnected from the source,
That observes us grow, bigger than
We are; sap rising like a tower.
To breathe such exalted air can
Intoxicate, seduce, offer power,
Taken for granted, assumed to be
A rightful possession, always there
Later to discover it's temporary -
Change happens when we're unaware
Could I, should I, would I have known?
Or heard if life had summoned me?
Can consciousness delay, postpone
Or shed light upon this mystery?
Who watches a fragile flower wilt?
Or sees ageing play its silent role
To deconstruct what nature built?
Slowly, relentlessly, taking its toll
The cruel master does not hesitate
To reclaim prized gifts, one by one;
For some, a lesson learned too late,
How small we are, how soon long gone
Paul Waring
Thu 22nd Dec 2016 13:33
Hi Andy, thanks for your comment. Long Gone, I suppose, reflects the Joni Mitchell line "you don't know what you've got 'til its gone" and is about being mindful, not deluding ourselves or taking life for granted. By the way, I'm so impressed by the quality of the poetry on here, and I really enjoyed reading the poems you have posted. Cheers, Paul