Anticipation is a heady fix,
Crackling with excitement, hope,
Imagination,
Faith in future possibilities.
As a source of energy
It can be wonderful.
But its darker side,
The side that sours existence,
Murders sleep, poisons the well,
Is disappointment,
The demon that flaps in
When things as planned don’t happen.
The only remedy, the only shield
Is never to forget
That reality is now, this moment;
The rest is dreams or fading memories.
Cherish the precious present-tense
And don’t let might-have-been
Destroy your joy.