When I Consider What I Was

When I consider what I was,

Considering what may’ve been

For all that I consider thus

It’s here and now that I am in;

For looking back or up ahead

It is this moment in-between

That matters as the past has led

Up to what we can make it mean;

As for tomorrow what occurs

Occurs, as it depends upon

The lines today that we rehearse

Although we’ll be upstaged anon;

So once again what have we now

But to take what it is we’ve got

And do the best with it, somehow,

Alternatives for—we have not.