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It Was Never Then

Once there was back when
In the history of “then”
‘Fore the “be” began

In these days of yore
The people lived before, for
There was nothing more

‘Twas a different time
When the latest lagged behind
“Is” had not arrived

None of then’s events
Happened in the present tense
That had not come yet

Language done ‘em in
As their “be,” already been
Never to begin

Now was not "to be"
Then, verbs ended in “-ed”
All done, already

Trapped in simple past
People didn’t sit; they sat 
Didn’t sh_t; they shat

But then’s now’s not when
Life was yesterday to them
It was today back then

We do what we does
Not in history because
Past ain’t what it was

Copyright © Robert Schatz

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Book: Reflection on the Important Things