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THE YEARS PASSED BY

Writer's picture: tenbrunsel2tenbrunsel2

The years passed by,

And I

Never noticed,

Where’st they went,

Had no clue,

How swiftly,

How sneakedly,

They flit and flew.


I was just a boy,

A moment just ago,

A babe on my momma’s teat,

Then running through clover,

in bare feet,

Forever feeling that feeling,

These millions moments over.


I worked at jobs

All my life,

I enjoyed ever’ one,

Played sports,

Went to college,

There I found a wife,


Married you ask?

Yes!

Just Yesterday it seems,

like a short but endless dream.

Yesterday, I was the groom,

Of a beautiful Wife,

Gwine on fifty-seven,

Years of our life.


Three kids.

Who?

Me?

You’re kidding.

Had no time for that,

Only minutes passed,

Not hours, days, years,

Raising children’s’ love and tears,

God that was fun!

And still is.


Career,

and a few beer,

Here and there,

filled a blur.

A good therapist,

I were!

Retired now,

Bam!

Just like that,

I cured folks,

I’m old now, maim,


Where did it go?

Time?

I want some of it back.

Why can’t life,

Be on circular track,

Why must we progress from moment,

To moment’s moment?

Why not savor,

Moments,

Forever?


Perhaps,

I may?

Perhaps that’s just it.

Perhaps once we’ve done it,

Done is the gift.


Many seasons I’ve savored,

Many moons crossed my sky,

Many years passed by,

I have moments to live,

A moment to die.



Author’s Note: Is life short or what? Why can’t we put on the brakes? Stop or go back to right wrongs? Go back to live joys? Go back to love long? Is Time but a dimension, yet to be conquered? And did you ever wonder why did God give us memory? If not to savor and enjoy? Just yesterday, it seems, I was an infant, boy, young man, graduate, daddy, husband, therapist, grandfather old. Yet I’m still all those things as I traipse through the corners of my soul. Earth is my living, Life after my goal. The years passed by, but not yet I.


The days lumber along, but the weeks go zooming by. It seems like only yesterday that I filled my weekly pill box. Don’t I just take the garbage out a day ago? Seems like I bought a week’s worth of groceries. I swear I folded laundry last night??? Wait! Is it my birthday again already? Where does time go? “Hey, ref! Put ten more years back on the clock”


I guess I could have titled this “Fleeting” or “Flashback” or “Whizz Bang” or “Life’s Journey” or as Hank Snow sang it “Moving On” or my poetic “Memoir.” “Years Passed By” is nice and will suffice😉


tom tenbrunsel

Poet Laureate of My Domain


Addendum: Happy feast of the Epiphany today on the Gregorian Calendar, which all my life I have lived comfortably by and see absolutely no reason to change; or Merry Christmas on the Julian Calendar, whichever you prefer. Either way, let there be peace on earth goodwill toward men (and women)!


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9 Comments


b.cjmetzler
b.cjmetzler
Jan 07, 2022

Can I celebrate both calendars? I've always remembered Jan 6 as the little Christmas. It's still His birthday celebration: gifts and important visitors. How lucky. I'd like to have a week's birthday celebration. Lots of fun moments. Then, later just one moment and that is to close my eyes and see God ... I can easily relate to your words.

P.S. I was in a store buying a cane (balance problems, not old age :) and I was very unhappy. I sadly said to the salesman that I remember grade school like it was yesterday.

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tenbrunsel2
tenbrunsel2
Jan 07, 2022
Replying to

Bev - Thanks for your excellent perspective on the poem and Author’s Comments. So many fun Christmases with Aunt Vickie visiting and the twins❤️ It’s so smart of you to get a cane. It gives you a tripod with which to balance, eliminating fear of imbalance and giving confidence to venture out. I mostly use a telescoping hiking stick instead of a cane. it’s sheik😂

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tenbrunsel2
tenbrunsel2
Jan 06, 2022

“You captured the moments, Tom. I have to confess that I was never a fan of poetry, but your words are poetry and I am becoming a fan” - Dona and Ray

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tenbrunsel2
tenbrunsel2
Jan 15, 2022
Replying to

If you like my poetry, you make my day❤️

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Unknown member
Jan 06, 2022

Love your blog "The Years Passed By." I sometimes say where did the time go. My aunt would say life is short, but as a kid, I thought that was silly. And by the time you have the wisdom to know what you should have done it is too late.

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Unknown member
Jan 07, 2022
Replying to

Did you get my email about this?

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erin secretarski
Jan 06, 2022

Brilliant!

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tenbrunsel2
tenbrunsel2
Jan 07, 2022
Replying to

Thank-you-uh! Thank-you-very-much-ah!

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