Don't Waste Time
The sun ascends with golden light,
To chase away the shroud of night,
But as it climbs the morning sky,
The hours begin to flicker by.
A silent thief with velvet tread,
The day departs, the light is shed,
And what we planned to do at dawn,
Is lost within a tired yawn.
The clock upon the ancient wall,
Is measuring the rise and fall,
Of every breath and every beat,
Of winter’s frost and summer’s heat.
It does not pause for king or slave,
From cradle-side until the grave,
Its steady pulse is cold and clear:
The end of everything is near.
We say, "Tomorrow I shall start,
To follow what is in my heart,"
But "tomorrow" is a phantom land,
A castle built on shifting sand.
It promises a fairer day,
While keeping all your dreams at bay,
Until the weeks become the years,
And hope is drowned in quiet tears.
The river does not wait for you,
To decide what you intend to do;
It flows toward the endless sea,
As restless as a soul could be.
The leaves that dance upon the bough,
Exist within the holy now,
For soon the autumn wind will blow,
And hide them underneath the snow.
Do not trade your golden youth,
For shadows and a lack of truth.
Do not spend your precious breath,
In waiting for the sting of death.
The books unread, the songs unsung,
The ladders where you haven't rung,
Are weights upon a weary mind,
Leaving only ghosts behind.
So rise before the light is gone,
And put your working armor on.
Forgive the grudge, forget the spite,
Before the coming of the night.
For time is not a thing we own,
But seeds that must be quickly sown;
The harvest waits for those who dare,
To breathe the life within the air.
The world is wide, the road is long,
But life is just a fleeting song.
Don't wait for signs or perfect skies,
Before you open up your eyes.
The only moment you can hold,
Is more than all the world's bright gold;
Invest it well, and do not wait,
Until you reach the final gate.
For when the shadows finally grow,
And all the fires are burning low,
You will not wish for wealth or fame,
Or monuments to bear your name.
You'll only wish you'd used the day,
Before the glory slipped away;
So heed the clock's persistent chime:
Begin today. Don't waste time.
