Bloggers

What writing poetry taught me about my anxious self

Apr 22, 2018

For the clock's just ticking, be it good or bad... Source: Pexels

I haven’t got time!
Hey, you’re just fine!
But I never have time to get things done!
I spin like a chook on a headless run!

Just take your time, you have it all,
You’ll start living, heeding this call!
But I am late, I speed on the road,
What if one day I crack from the load?!

You have all the time in the world,
It’s time your forehead is unfurled!
But life is short, there’s so much to do!
I’m getting old, isn’t this true?

Time goes round and round, it never ends,
Isn’t it time to make your mends?
From ashes to ashes the body turns,
From spring to winter, each season returns.

From sunrise to sunset, through day and night,
Time keeps revolving, be dark or light.
Endlessly the clock just keeps on ticking,
One’s born, other dies, it’s only fitting.

From dust to dust, from hunger to lust,
The Earth’s spinning with you on its crust,
You circle the sun and before you know,
You’re back where you started a year ago!

You’re a year older, your hair is not so plenty
But you haven’t started living till you’re 70!
Your bones are creaking and you’re sure you’ll croke,
But don’t you forget, it’s all a good joke!

For the clock’s just ticking, be good or bad,
Through exaltation and when you’re sad,
Time simply passes but never ends,
Tick-tock, tick-tock-there go the hands!

Tune into time and keep its beat,
Dance round the clock, it is so sweet,
Find the right speed and feel the rhythm,
Go with the flow and heed its wisdom!

I wrote the first version of this poem when I was 51.
Now I am 71.
Thank God I still feel 51!
The poem is a conversation between the anxious me and the relaxed me.
When down or up, I have kept returning to this poem for different reasons over the years.
When down, to remember that there is also a jolly me, even if I happen to feel in the dumps.
When up, to salute my contented self.