nothing but time.

how could i have known?

a child, breaking through that thin sheath
of life, of existence, of all the things
one does when born

fail
struggle
suffer

25 years later

what could i have done?

a woman, holding on as tight as her strength will allow
to life, to existence, to all the things
they say you should

costumes
masks
lies

25 years into the future

what should i have learned?

a memory, of what once was
for posterity, for experience, for all the things
that should have been