NOW
By John Herlihy

Some say
That NOW lacks greeting,
NOW is never truly near,
Momentary and fleeting,
And never truly here.

Some say
That NOW seems forever,
Endless, tedious, and long.
That the day will end never,
A harsh, unforgiving song.

Some say
That NOW lacks presence,
As soon as it arrives, puff.
Where is the day’s essence?
It flies away as dandelion fluff.

Some say
That NOW offers mystery.
Who knows what will happen?
The bud opens for all to see,
Light rain comes a-tappin’.

I say
That NOW a most precious gift,
Tied with a ribbon and a bow.
The ribbon gives our heart lift,
The knot unites all we know.

I say
NOW arrives as the greatest love,
Always faithful and always new.
NOW departs as the greatest sorrow,
Already old and already overdue.

I say
NOW is never lacking,
Always there to survive.
The mind misses the moment,
We must ourselves revive.

I say
NOW never takes leave,
Always there, never departs.
Like the pulse of the day,
It beats as a second heart.

I say
NOW captures the present moment,
With its engaging timeliness.
NOW unveils the eternal moment
With its dreamy timelessness.

The mystery of NOW ours to unveil,
To decipher NOW is to read as braille.