Make Steps To Move On Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Yesterday had been a given.
And impossible to give back.
Although many expect to receive,
Encouragement for their attempts...
To convince anyone who will listen,
About what they could have done.
But did not.
In a yesterday that has left them,
Using the same excuses to make.
Reliving a childhood.
With no effort to escape.
Being victimized by advice.
They didn't then, yesterday.
Or even today will consider or take.
But stay complaining about a yesterday,
Giving them 24 hours,
To subtract, unpack unnecessary crap.
And reload.
Removing chips off their bitter shoulders.

People blessed with a yesterday to get.
Witness it and choose what they do.
With it seemed to have a love,
For the trash and crap that traps,
Strapped and carried.
On their hunched burdened backs.
Whether for show.
Or to brag about.
Only they would know.
If given the time to ask them why.
While they refuse to hear,
What they carry stacked on their backs...
They should leave right where it is.
And wipe away from their eyes,
Yesterday's tears to cry.

"Yesterday has gone.
Drop that old baggage.
Make steps to move on."

But being less burdened.
By a weight no one should bear.
Many anticipate the doing of it.
As if it makes others care.
And some will.
With a showing of proof and evidence.

"Come with me.
I want to show you something.
You see that dumpster over there? "

-Yeah.
I can't help but see it.
All stacked high with garbage and crap.
Why you want me to see that? -

"If I had heard you say that to me,
Years ago.
We would still be in an argument.
Neither one us would let go.
That there is my crap.
My baggage.
And every now and then,
I pass it just to remind myself...
Yesterday to live,
Wasnt for myself I did it.
I lived for others.
More for approval than sympathy.
But both I got.
Until it became a drug.
A habit I couldn't drop to stop.

-So, what are you saying to me?
You trying to call me stupid? -

"Naw.
That use to be my nickname.
Along with dummy, idiot and fool.
I wouldn't call you those mames.
Besides...
You might think me doing it,
Is paying you a compliment.
And afterall,
I'm sure you've heard it before."

-You fixin' to pluck my last nerve.-

"Whew!
Thank you, God.
You had me believing,
I was doing nothing but wasting time."I