Last Tuesday we flipped the dojo calendar to the new month, and I or someone said something to the effect of “How is it already August?” That line has been rattling around in my brain for a week, gathering energy and ideas. Today is my 55th birthday. Yesterday morning I woke up to all these random lines coalescing into a country/rock song, of all things. So I wrote it down. It doesn’t have much of a tune yet, except bits in my head. Maybe I’ll write it down one of these days. On reading it, it seems a bit depressing. But it’s more an urgent call to action. Hurry! There’s no time to waste.
Enjoy.
How Is It Already August?
(or, On Turning 55)
By Linda Eskin
INTRO
The calendar up on the kitchen wall
Shows it’s time to turn another page.
We wonder how the time can seem to crawl
Yet suddenly we reach a certain age!
~~~
I started the year
With big visions and goals.
And now those ideas all seem
Shot full of holes.
Months ahead seemed to be
Limitless and wide open.
Filled with potential,
As though I’d just woken.
We’d go camping and swimming,
Hang out with our friends.
Every week we’d go hiking.
The fun never ends!
CHORUS 1
But whatever happened to April and June?
We haven’t see rainfall in many a moon.
Solstice is past and the nights’ getting longer.
And I’d hardly noticed the heat getting stronger.
How is it already August?
~~~
I thought that by now
I’d be farther along.
I thought I’d be smarter,
I thought I’d be strong.
Meant to go for a hike,
Meant to go the beach.
And writing my books
Always seems out of reach.
Trading hours for money
Things get in the way.
If I want to get moving
Guess I’d best start today!
CHORUS 2
Good times in life don’t stand still ’til were ready
And while we’re distracted time’s progress is steady
At the beginning the year seemed so long.
I was just getting started, now it’s more than half gone.
And how is it August already?
~~~
BREAK
I breathe in and it’s March
Let it out, it’s July
The months disappear
In the blink of an eye
The days fly by quickly
Like miles on a long drive;
We’re at 221
Out of 365.
~~~
We’re all getting old,
Living under the gun.
Now’s the time to be bold,
And start getting things done
Soon we’ll see pumpkins,
Then turkeys and elves.
But when the ball finally drops
We’re alone with our selves.
CHORUS 3
Whatever happened to the rest of the year?
Can you believe that we’re already here?
The high sun is bright and the hot days are long
But I’ve hardly found time just to write down this song
How is it already August?
~~~
OUTTRO
The calendar up on the kitchen wall
Shows it’s time to turn another page.
Copyright © 2017, Linda Eskin. Please share freely by linking to this post. All other uses by written permission only.
