Done With Guesses

Inspired by this post

Caught in between the old and new

…the done and what remains to do

Here, on Time’s forward avenue

Each one of us exists

Not by some feckless ordinance

Nor by mere hapless circumstance

But by the grace of second chance

That God with dawn untwists

The laws of night to day unfold

In dark to light, in gray and gold

And soon we learn what we were told

Was, is and will be so

That Time is but a tiny poof

Rushing through living’s little proof

It melts like frost upon a roof

A mystic ebb and flow

For in its onward, forward rush

With every bravo, tug and push

Its ilk recedes; the solemn hush

Of ‘Time Enough’ impends

And while its grin and sorrow drains

Into tomorrow’s sun and rains

It ebbs toward what Death unchains

Where nothing ever ends

Within the grave none can compete

Nor rival where all mortals meet

Time’s deadline; victory and defeat

Not that of flesh and blood

But of the soul; oh, who can tell

The joy of heav’n, horror of hell

We stand where grace still tolls time’s bell

And our forefathers stood

…caught in between the old and new

Where we have much we ought to do

Before we bid this Now adieu

Exchanging breath-by-breath

 And step-by-step and wake and sleep

And this which nobody can keep

For that which opens up the deep

Unveiled at last, in death

© Janet Martin

In the book Emily's Quest her beloved teacher/friend, Mr. Carpenter dies.
"Just, think, Emily, in a few minutes I will be wiser than anyone living," He says on his deathbed, "always wanted to know- to know.
 Done with guesses.