…to nowhere

In the past we lived in the moments, hearts and eyes open wide
breathe dance work play, love live eat drink, wake sleep sing pray
life was a winding road, leading to or from
somewhere known or unknown, a journey from cradle to grave
our seasons of transformation
spring, where we bloomed and grew like flowers
discovering our world with innocence and joy
summer, where in the light, we flew like birds
hatched our chicks and helped them grow
autumn, where like leaves, our colours faded
but love had many shades
all beautiful in their own way
winter, where our dreams became memories
and we watched our children take to the skies
as we had before them, searching for their place
in the present we live in a place of wanting
where moments no longer matter
where today, tomorrow seems far away
as far away as yesterday
where the moments are lost in the waiting
the journey no longer follows that winding road
and every step is a shortcut
a means to an end, arrive faster depart faster
the world is no longer a place to discover
but a place to conquer, a place to carve our names
where attention and admiration are currency
and empathy and kindness are considered weakness
a place where the seasons are merely a backdrop for vanity
where the slow march of time, underestimated, still stalks us all
while we transform our social profiles, our faces and our bodies
where we mock those who don’t conform
where we bully and attack and where in our narcissism
in our hubris, in our dangerous confidence
tomorrow is just another day, where we will be on display
and tomorrow, today will seem very far away
but not as far as yesterday
the world transformed, broken and bruised
moving in slow motion, circles and spirals to nowhere
unlike those who went before us
no one is searching for their place
© Ann Bagnall