An old man reflects on the past, present, and future. He peers into the present and future but can only see the past. His withered hands touch his absent beard as he thinks of deeds from his past that shaped his current situation. With whitened lips, he spits in disgust at the present while resenting the past and praying for the future. His wobbling feet struggle to carry the weight of his heavy thoughts as he shuffles into an uncertain future, leaving the present behind to deal with his past.

1. An old man with…
Wizen eyes
Peer deep into the present future
But see only the past present;
And hope that the future present
Would not look like this present past.
Withering hands
Fleece an absent beard
Present in that past memory
Of deeds done and not done
to shape this past future.
Whitened lips
Spit a gelatin mass of chewed disgust
Venomously at the present present
mutter resentment at the past past,
and a quiet prayer for the future future.
Wobbling feet
Struggle to support the weight
Of those heavy thoughts
as they shuffle on into the future,
leaving the present to deal with the past.
Art and Poetry by R ‘roger’ Moore [2012]
[Old man’s face - pencil with oil pastel]