Here lies a poet who would not write
His soul runs screaming through the night,
“Oh give me paper, give me pen
And I will very soon begin.”
Poor Soul, keep silent. In Death’s clime
There’s no pen, paper, notion–and no Time.
–“Here Lies” by Stevie Smith
“Very soon.” That is the key phrase. Even in tormented regret, it’s still “very soon” and not “right now.”
I wonder what stands in the way of “right now” for that poor dead poet?
Does what stands in the way of “right now” for us make any more sense?
Lori Lynne Armstrong 