Non, rien de rien,
Non, je ne regrette rien,
She sang.
I concur.
Life’s rocking chair test
will tease the past
in days to come.
I’ll hum the tune
and wonder why
I did not do,
embrace,
risk,
jump.
I’ll speculate on
chances lost,
a life less well-lived,
moments that fled
before me
while I weighed the pros and cons.
Glimpses of might have beens
and could have, should haves
will torment my cowardly soul.
But, for those times
when I did,
when I grasped
the horns,
let them pierce,
rode the bull,
let it throw me
high,
crazily,
wildly
to tumble hurt
on dusty ground,
audience baying
or applauding,
I’ll be glad;
regretting only
the days I waved
white flag,
not red
and bled
inside,
gored
by fear.