Time

I can look back thru'-out the years
to any calendar page or tick of the clock
and see that every wish or dream or goal
slowly faded to emptiness
as Others took each moment
and put them into their pockets.
Time
has never been mine.

As a child I was taught
to never say 'Others first, Me second,'
but instead,
'Others only, Me not at all.'

And I can look back at years gone by
at any point
whatever footstep I felt of meaning
but glassy-eyed puppeteers with words
calling me Selfish
while tucking my moments
into their pockets

and my only thought ever was
'I wish I had the Time.'

Somehow, in the passing of years,
it has begun to change.
As a girl I could see a present-moment
zippered away in someone's pocket,
wishing it belonged to me;
but thru' the transformation
of standing in the middle of the road
fearing the journey may soon be over
and the fear of looking with my last open eyes
at my dream unfulfilled
my heart's wish unspoken
with my eyes closing for forever
my last thought to be
'I wish I'd had
Time'