And the Days Pass On – final edit?

I wrote this in August, 2005. But I’ve lately submitted the final edit to be published in an environmental awareness journal at Dalhousie. I wonder if they’ll like it..

And the Days Pass On

 

 

A younger one found me, her eyes golden and brown,

 

Said “Come take my hand, and see what I’ve found”

 

She walked me a mile before making a sound,

 

Then told me her plan to keep the world spinning round.

 

I said “Watch every step, and keep those feet on the ground.”

 

“With every hope to better grow,

 

So many thoughts of future flow,

 

Excited and real for others to know,

 

Share what you can, this passion will glow.

 

Your ideas are great, just don’t let them go.”

 

Attention has vanished by a distracted loss,

 

Those promises made by long fingers crossed.

 

Imagination dies with young hearts lost,

 

(Those adoring Neverland dreams are tossed.)

 

With innocence spent, imagine the cost.

 

The days pass on with the set of a sun,

Painting a sky to cast above everyone.

 

To later be filled by suns setting the same,

 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto” align=”center”>And a moon to reflect but an ounce of its fame.

 

Chosen by us is the way we should be,

 

For the health of a planet with suffering free.

 

Progression of a race far too un-clean,

 

A population too big consuming all green.

 

A planet that holds us, saves us, and feeds us

 

Should be more respected, for it barely needs us.

 

The first to leave had long worn a crown,

 

Who started to burn this home of ours down.

 

A few of us now may just think the same,

 

So let’s try our best to stifle the flame,

 

Brush the surface from ashes to dust,

 

Then smooth the edges and polish the rust.

 

To those who left before we came,

 

We’ll move your statue, addressing your fame,

 

Your history read and repeated the same.

 

We’ll plant a tree, to grow over your name,

 

To spread shade below, blanketing shame.

 

And the days pass on with the set of a sun,

 

Painting a sky to cast above everyone.

 

To later be filled by suns setting the same,

 

And a moon to reflect but an ounce of its fame.

 

 

An older one found me, his eyes sunken and blue.

 

Said “Swallow your pride, don’t forget to chew.

 

Distract your idea of what used to be you,

 

Rather be blinded by another frame of view,

 

Take that extra step, try on the other shoe.”

 

He said “Everything is ugly if you label it so,

 

If you despise the act, why turn away from the show?

 

They call a grey sky ‘miserable’ on talk radio,

 

Ignore expectations wherever you go,

 

‘Cause misery or not, down falls the snow.”

 

I said “What if my hope can never fly,

 

The bar to leap was left too high,

 

Time too costly to ever buy.

 

And too few of enough astonished to try…”

 

My apologetic eyes faced a delicate sky.

 

“Make us a promise”, holding a fist to his chest.

 

“Bite your lip and believe me, this isn’t a test,

 

Take time to re-think, you’ll remember the rest.

 

Collecting support as you advance such a quest.

 

This planet’s your purpose, now try your best.”

 

With too much to change in every white sheep,

 

Not many listen when talk is so cheap.

 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto” align=”center”>But I’ll hold onto his words, his ideas I’ll keep.

 

And with that I retired, took three breathes too deep.

 

Closed my eyes to imagine as I fell into sleep.

 

 

And the days pass on with the set of a sun,

 

Painting a sky to cast above everyone.

 

To later be filled by suns setting the same,

 

And a moon to reflect but an ounce of its fame.