poetic procrastination

A poem by Stephen Scaer in First Things called Time Management:

Scaer focuses on writing and wasted time-- although the theme can be easily broadened to what we can allow "time" to steal from us. Interestingly, the first two examples speak to taking advantage of time in some form of bondage or greatly restricted choice. The third and fourth involve the more difficult choice of deciding within greater freedom.

Luther in the year he spent
as Junker Joerg in Wartburg towers,
translated the New Testament
to pass the everlasting hours.

Though living as a refugee
Erasmus wrote his tour de force.
In Praise of Folly’s said to be
the product of a trip by horse.

With dinners late, D’Aguesseau saw
an opportunity to write
his sixteen-volume work of law
in fifteen minutes every night.

Today I slept late, took a walk,
sipped coffee on my ragged lawn,
checked the mailbox, saw the clock,
and noticed half my life was gone.