The Autodidact's Lament

A poem.

Photo by Andy Goldsby on Unsplash

There isn’t enough time 
To do all the things I want to do
Visit Rome and Venice and Geneva
Lose the weight and really get in shape
Write that book and get it published
Drive a narrowboat across the canals of England

There isn’t enough time
To learn all the things I want to learn
Learn Latin and Hebrew 
Master the Sicilian Defense
Learn to play the guitar and piano
Read Dante in the original Italian

There isn’t enough time
To love all the people I am called to love
My longsuffering wife, for starters
My kids, each one a wonderful unique person
I want to get to know them better

There may not be enough time
To do it all, or perfectly
But I can get started
With the time God gives me
So I’ll date my wife, and hit the gym
And push my pawn to c5 
And carpe all my diems forthwith.