AVANT SOUL

Once more the sun breaks into day
Once more the bed sheets cast away
	Once more from cradle to coffin stay
    Life summons your secret name:
	Delay no longer
	Procrastinate no longer
	You must create
	You mustn't hold dreams at bay


				Scurrying, hurrying, worrying
				Here for the briefest time
				In truth, everything corrodes,
			turns to dust
Except your thoughts which on wings fly to eternity.

				Others have lived before you
				Others have turned and tossed
			the covers, rushed 
Through pages of their Book of Life.


Peace, conflict, serenity, strife
	Ruthless are hours indifferent 
	to senses of urgency. 

It isn't that time is uncaring
But that these moments fly
And should you spread your wings, you'll be carried
And not be rushing by. 

			It crumbles. It transmutes. It bleeds to rust
		In this bloodstream of time and space
These precious seconds bring you closest
	to saving grace. It isn't

The false sense of piety
Nor in anger released, not even
	in passion's fevered embrace

It passes like the breath of God
Breathes out, breathes in, then
	breathes again

You say you understand this time
You say you know the writ from write,
	the scribe from describe
The righteous sight that separates
The dark from light, the clenched from open fist.

						Then tell me this, 
	now that wings have opened and speed the drafts
	And catch the rush of breathless flight,
		Were you to merge with hearts and minds
		Of all who've lived, passed through & perished
						Would you now begin to savor this moment

	hold it dear
	to honor,
	cherish

			To bring to understanding wings which soar alight
				in stillness realize
	

This time is brief
Soon comes the night.

	Once more the sun breaks into day
Once more the bed sheets cast away
Once more cradle to coffin stay
Life now summons a speechless name:
	Delay no longer, you must create
	

				In truth, everything corrodes
					turns to dust

					Except your thoughts which on wings fly to eternity.


The time is brief
Soon comes the night.