Life Lived in 12 Weeks

photo by Amy Thompson

what if your eyes opened, late March, and the countdown began—

get moving little one

tomorrow is already Kindergarden

fill your sticker book

skip around the track

earn your trophy

soon,

move your high school tassel to the other side

then,

it’s Washington for college

and New York for your internship

May brings a quick drive to the coast

drive back into June, and

the sun shines its rays on your accomplishments

your career that provided

the good love you chose

the study house you saved for and bought

now in the evenings you harvest the yields

of the seeds you planted before

you write poetry

it’s time

to wrap the whole thing up

one last trip to the coast

gift your albums to a friend

organzie your accounts and settle your debts

pull the recycling bin up the driveway

the final walk with the dog

solstice rays shine on the precious time you had

…and how you chose to use it

…for the season when you had it

here

now

marvel at the moon

praise the sun

how beautiful it was

how beautiful it was