Day 4: Autobiography

I'm actually a little happy that this one is late, I was too busy last night to post it which is actually quite nice considering the poem. The prompt yesterday was an "epic tale" I didn't follow that too closely because I read a fun Ben Franklin quote about autobiographies, which I paraphrase in the opening lines....

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Autobiography

My autobiography,

I hope I’m always too busy to finish it.

Not that I've begun one,

No,I haven’t won a war and I’m not sixty

But one day

When I’m not too busy

I want to start one

Start to reminisce

And write a list,

Of places and things and faces.

Allow myself to drift back just a little,

But to stay there?

Spend the rest of my days compiling,

Organizing?

It’s a slippery slope.

Leading to nothing but regret

What did I miss?

What did they think?

Why did I let that slip?

This is a trait that I often stumble upon

I mean I haven’t lived particularly long

But already I spent way to much of my time

Casting back my mind.

I’m scared I’m going to miss it.

Wake up one day with a blank autobiography in front of me.

I’ll be eighty and quoting eighteen.

Questioning the same stupid motives I’m stuck on now.

So I’ll change.

In the writing of this line I’ll change.

Where better?

If I’m reading this out loud then hopefully it’s already happened!

I hope to one day stand in front of you,

Spewing words in the non committal way I usually do

But after a few, I’ll take a bow

Walk away,

But someone will come up and find me

Ask me “Did you change?”

Did I succeed in ripping the chain

That anchors me to the past,

Did I untie myself from the mast?

I hope so.

I hope I live a little better.

Who doesn't?

But most of all I hope that I look forward.

Act in a manner in which the moment presents.

Not stumbling, distracted with regret,

Until one day, when I’ll allow

Myself to sit down for an hour

And think.

Start a reminisce

Write a list

Of places and things and faces.

Allow myself to drift back just a little…

I’ll realize I've changed,

I’ll realize I've aged,

But before I get stuck

Someone will come tell me I've got

To get going.

Important stuff to do

Fun people to see.

One day I want an autobiography

But finish it?

I’ll be to busy.