It’s a truism, of course,
That distance makes things seem smaller:
Here’s proof — did you even notice
Mount Baker in the distance,
The lone seagull amid the cormorants
On the dock?
Time’s distance works in similar ways:
Not only grief and pain, but also joy;
In fact all memories may fade,
Though never disappear,
Lost only to those not present
For the actual experience.
The stories may remain,
But impact lessens over time
Until we seem to have no choice
But to repeat ancient mistakes.
