Now What?

     Backward thinking, what is the good? I was talking with someone the day I wrote this, he couldn't stop talking about what he would do different, blah blah blah. This poem was my answer.


Would've, Could've, and Should've walked down a lonely path
And only did they speak of their bitter past

“I would've done it differently” Would’ve said with great big tears
With a blow of his nose Could’ve agreed “We've wasted all these years”

Kicking dirt,“I should have known’ Should've did implead
The others wiped there eyes, and all of them agreed

Would’ve, Could’ve and Should've, each regretting their past
Were not paying attention, to the fork right in their path

There stood a withered man, smiling from ear to ear
“Hello boys!” he called out “I’m so glad you’re here!”


“Your time is done for looking back, today’s your fateful day
I've heard your cries, so now my friends let’s send you a new way”

“So stop a gaping, mouths drawn wide, chewing cud like cows
Now your past is past, I ask you, now what lads what now?”

Would've, Could’ve and Should’ve, stared at the likable man
“We don’t know what you mean” they said “We did the best we can”

“If only we did it better, we’d do it all again
And changing this or that would've made us better men”

They made him a deep bow, so low, so slow, so long
Then said with great regret “We must be moving on”

The old man clapped and laughed, and in his cheery way
Said “Oh my boys, don’t you see? That path is closed today!”

They looked at each other then asked “What do you mean?”
“We told you we would fix it all, but can’t fix anything”

“I know!” He said “you’re looking back, these are forward roads
Now’s your time for reckoning, to what the future holds”

You can not be marching forward while you're looking back
So ask yourselves what now? start picking up the slack

I'll help you change your names, to Do and Did and Done
And the past will be behind you, flying as you run

So stop right here and contemplate, what you are to do
Now what lads, what now? is all I ask of you

Would've, Could've and Should've could never change at all
The past and regret are all they have, which is why they stall

So they stand at the cross road, as if in a big rut
While the old man stands before them asking, “What now, lads, now what?