Yesterdays Lost

It seems it was only yesterday

I was just on twenty-three,

Feeling my way in the world out there

‘Til you distracted me,

I looked aside for a moment, saw

That you had been, and gone,

And found I had wasted fifty years

For I couldn’t remember one.

 

That life is merely a shadow now

So why did you have to leave,

I can’t remember just what went wrong

Or what I hoped to achieve,

I thought that time was forever then

And I took my eyes from the clock,

I lived in the land of make-believe

Where the tick had stopped with tock!

 

Your face is lost to my memory

Your words are buried in time,

I only know there was someone there

Who played with my heart and mind,

Our love was lost in a well of tears

That made our pillows rot,

We wasted time on our hopes and fears,

Whether you left, or not.

 

There must be somebody else out there

Who’s stealing another’s time,

Who lives their life in a shadow, when

They could be alive in mine,

I’d like to retrieve those fifty years

And I think that you’ll agree,

They could be happy and carefree years

But they wouldn’t be spent with me!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[David Scott]

You show a bit of self loathing here. We all have looked back and wondered what if we could go back and try again. The wise know that if we went back and we were still who we are, well, then we would waste those days all over again in the same folly. The past is not only a locked door, but a relm that even the dead dare not to tread lest the spirit become a meaningless ghost. It is an empty place where everything matters, but nothing can change.
I enjoyed this poem. It feels so personal from you and I like that you left your template even if just a little bit.

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

Yesterday - always lost and a mere day away!

[Sheila Kline]

Not being completely familiar with your writings, and knowing mostly of your fabulous story poems, I was a bit surprised to read this as it seems so very personal. I am hesitant to say it is of you as you are such a master at creating characters from another place, but if it is, I say it is well spoken, and filled with remorse about one's life. I have felt as this - not for a span of fifty years, but certainly of "capsules of time". If only we could go back, and do it all over again, would it actually be a better way? We do learn from our lessons, and experiences, and have the good with the bad. I suppose it has all brought me to this point of life. Some of my yesterday's lost might have also been part of my "thank goodness for those" moments!
Excellent synopsis of one who wishes what has been, might not have been!!

[minisla]

It would make you think twice about the decisions we make when young... great writing which encapsulates I assume love and hate

[Penlady]

I've been widowed twice now and I do remember but the loss is still a loss as yours at someone leaving...(whether this is fantasy or reality) it still speaks of being alone...I don't think that humans (in general) like being alone and are fortunate to have a someone..I think you speak for many in this writing. (PS your rugged countenace makes up for the lack on top.)

[Lena M. P.]

The contemplation is deep with remorse here but I understand it. There are times that if I could go back, I would kick my own butt for not doing and being everything I should and could have been. However, fretting about the past is only loosing more time. Now all I want is to live it as fully as I can. This was very well penned; heartfelt and poignant.

[char]

There's truth in this. And regret. I have to agree with David Scott, there is self-loathing here. These are my favorite lines:

"There must be somebody else out there
Who's stealing another's time"

Awesome choice of words.

[A Soap Mess Stories]

A different style of writing. Excellent.

[Valentine]

Not everyone lives in perfect bliss..many of us have that one someone we sometimes widh we could turn the clock back to have another chance..Nice one..Katihe

[Tate Morgan]

masterful how we all look back and wonder on the years gone by the people lost to time. Who would we be ? What would we do if we had it to do again. Your wisdom from a life time spent observing the intricacies of humanity. Ill tell you Dave you would likely be just another man. That because so many go through life and leave no footprint. It is only my opinion however should your life have been any different you would not be as interesting. We are all glad you walked the road that made a writer of you.
Your friend, one of so many!
Tate

[spiritwind]

This is an incredibly true piece of writing. I am gong to favorite this and read it over to myself. My words this time are private but you know I think your work is always sheer poetry.