The Final Sip

© Ben Burton 8/16/2015 As my time on this earth dwindles Toward those final sips of coffee After appetizer, entree And dessert have been devoured I grieve all those wasted moments When I only saw forever Endless time to make it happen Led me to procrastination Watching days turn into leap years Without leaping on the streetcar Where desires aren't mere illusions Many kindred spirits gather To encourage other dreamers But those streetcars start to vanish For the reckless and the agèd Never reckless, merely clueless Now I'm leaning 'gainst the latter Pining that which will not happen For the only recognition Is a Facebook 'like' or comment And best wishes to the pauper Just another starving artist Less than middling art to offer DVD's that few are buying But no trying, pleading, begging From a heart that's barely beating Will stave off the wolves demanding What's no longer in the coffers Take a sip of cold, black coffee From the large cup, almost empty In a house that's pre-foreclosure I await the hooded reaper To relieve me of the mis'ry With regrets, I go too gently Wrapped in coils of indecision Never lacking in discretion But my diffidence contained me Made no mark upon the middle Now it's late, I'm cloaked in darkness That good night has seized the moment Shed no tears, but heed the lesson Let no barricade dissuade you Don't glimpse back and see a wasteland Strewn with unaccomplished longings Not that every step was wasted I gave more than I accepted But with nothing left to offer And no streetcars heading my way To a happier conclusion With a wistful resignation I reach for my cup of coffee And I take the final sip