Bad Timing

You were born before your time
(They say)
You don’t look your age
(They say)

I don’t have a self-portrait that is aging
(I say)
I’m not Dorian Gray
(I say)
I haven’t sold my soul
(I say)

But you must have done something
(They say)

I’ve spent my life crawling on sand-papered floors
(I say)
Playing dumb when I saw and understood it all
(I say)

What will you do?
(They ask)

 I hope I won’t have to leave before my time
(I answer)
And I’ll keep staring at the gold light that appears when I squint my eyes
(I conclude)