The Pasts Which Might Have Been
Sometimes I catch myself in my ruminations
Seeking a better past, overlooking the flaws
Longing for things lost, forgetting why they were left behind
Imagining the could’ve beens, the should’ve beens, the would’ve beens
With the if onlys and the perhaps maybes
Idealized versions of a reality that no longer exists
Except in the rearview mirror of the memory
Yet even there they remain not as there were
But as some potential of a past possibility

Worn Thin

Stretched and pushed by a taskmaster
Who mercilessly demands an ever higher tribute
Constantly pushing for perfection in every aspect
Never flagging in his criticism, never satisfied with enough
Wearing me thin with continual pressure to achieve
Yet, the taskmaster and the one worn thin
Are but reflections in the mirror.

Neil White, 2013