Succeeding Days
How old was I
when each succeeding year
each successive year
became each falling year,
each failing year?
How old was I
when each year fell away
as did each month and week and day,
both succeeding less
and failing more
resigned to fade out play?
How old is just right maturity
of days falling off
away?
My calendar begins with clearly given rebirth dates,
succeeds toward organic dusk conclusions
on a day and week and month
within a year not yet quite fully numbered
and yet already fading toward some numeric memory
for those who remain succeeding
more than failing
through days and nights of fears
and faith
our wins outweigh these latticed losses.
|