On the scale of life, how do you measure Yesterday?
In volume, quantity, depth, breadth or size,
Length, width, amount, weight or miles?
Pocket full of dreams, degrees of pain, gallons of tears,
Missed opportunities, multitude of fears?
A handful of regrets, loads of grief,
Tons of problems, bags of relief,
Small portions of happiness and glee,
Proportional sadness and misery?
A stretch of discontent, an era of joy,
A decade of luck, a minute to enjoy
A thousand miles tread with reservation,
Two steps taken in the right direction,
Pounds and pounds of selfish interactions,
No mention of personal growth or satisfactions?

Do you measure Yesterday as they do in history books?
List the wars, the population’s death and growth,
Admire the heroes and curse their oath,
Praise progress, politics and wealth,
Disregard the effects of evolution in terms of health,
Measure by feats not by courage,
Value life in terms of power and outrage?

Do you monitor how you faired on a scale of one to ten?
Are you as important as other revered and honorable men?
Is your pride evaluated as your sensitive ego?
Which chose the road you followed?
Is self-importance your excess?
Is your goal to be number ten, a success?
Are you measuring yesterday with care?
Allocating the proper worth for having been there?

Is money your devil in disguise?
Assessing the power behind your egotistical lies,
Did you replace your decency with greed and voracity
Or have you seen the integrity in less
Giving up covetousness and excess?

I measure my Yesterday with only love in mind
Whom I cared for, or unwillingly left behind.
My arms embraced, touched with sensitivity and concern
Every human being I had chosen to know, in return
Some I loved for no reason what so ever
Some I gave my soul to, however.
The happiness and sorrow I received combined
Was worth the time and effort the love defined.
If my heart was filled with passion, selfless and altruistic
Did it leave my soul heavy and optimistic?
For Yesterday to be measured with accuracy and significance
It must be balanced with love, both platonic and intense.
Compassion, empathy, kindness and tender love
Are the only guidelines I can honestly think of.
I believe I am prepared, now, to meet my god and jury
Having measured Yesterday,
In terms of love, true passion and such fury.

JUDY FISCHER is a Montrealer by love and choice. She is the author of He Fell from the sky and Missy Loves René, two books published in the last two years.

Copyright © 2018 by Judy Fischer. All rights reserved.