Sounding like a dirge or psalm depending where you stand,
In the pit of sorrow, or playing with the band,
Hear the cry of hope or doom, the voice of distant drums:
“There’s no tomorrow … tomorrow never comes.”

Breathe in, breathe out,
Zip up, or shout,
Decay or sprout,
Breath in, breathe out.

Dream, rise, rub my eyes,
Rinse, drink, pray and think,
Read, write, grab a bite,
Work, play, release the day.

Waking, walking, working, shirking,
Coping, calling, rising, falling,
Sitting, sipping, racing, chasing,
Hating, loving, holding, shoving …

Now, right now is all there is;
Osmium and carbon fizz
Passing through the dark unknown,
A point of light is all we’re shown.
Knowing all that came before
Brought this moment to the floor,
Lightly hold our little hopes,
or sink hearts with heavy ropes.

Sounding like a dirge or psalm depending where you stand,
In the pit of sorrow, or playing with the band,
Hear the cry of hope or doom, the voice of distant drums:
“There’s no tomorrow … tomorrow never comes.”
_______

Copyright 2025 M. Ryan Taylor

Note: This is me trying to wrap my brain around the paradox that ‘now’ is really all there is. We may plan for the future, dream about it, prepare for what we think it may hold, but these are just thoughts … and yet we know the thoughts and actions of the past have shaped our present reality, what we are experiencing now. Jesus pointedly told us, “Take … no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself …” which is in dynamic tension with the parable of the ten virgins (and other passages), where it is emphasized how important it is to be prepared (in this case with oil for the wedding feast). I guess the short takeaway would be, “Prepare, but don’t worry. Trust God, but keep fighting the good fight.”

Photo: Christian Lue via Unsplash

Post filed under All UkulelePlay! Blog Posts.