©Phoebe Duncan
February 7, 2001

South of Yesterday

Stuck in the midlands of Today
Finding it rather flat and dreary
With the occasional fire-red flower
Fragile as paper-thin porcelain
But it brightens up the dust

Wistfully peering over my shoulder
Back south of Yesterday
Where the earth was moist and rich
Sprouted silver trees with sparkling leaves
Swayed gently in the cool winds

Smiles were more plentiful
There south of Yesterday
Laughter was less forced
Tears flowed smoothly and swiftly
Not leaving the sour salty aftertaste

South of wonderful Yesterday
Friends were fewer but closer
Words danced from our lips
Warmed tongues and hands
That here and now burn so coldly

Simple joys are scattered to the winds
Here in the midlands of Today
Shards of innocence are strewn across the dust
Laughing at different jokes here
Humor is always so crude

Still trudging steadily forward
Can’t ever go back south
To the shining Yesterday in my mind’s eye
Looking behind just increases the distance
Of the irreversible path already traveled

Expecting to soon find myself
Past this dusty landscape
Moving north of Tomorrow
A little scared of what I’ll find there
And taking one last glance behind....