aging,
old man
looking back
remembering
pulling forward;
old man, what for?

things are different now;
you are different now.

what you wish for isn’t here, 
can’t be; it’s there, always.

with the same powers 
that you look backwards, 
look here; this is it.

what you long for, it is here. 
in the same way that you were you, 
meeting what was; again, you are you, 
here and now, meeting what is.

your desires and abilities, 
your hopes and fears; 
they have changed, yes. 
but still you have them. 

and what does it matter 
what they actually are? 
so long as you have them, 
and are still alive.

there is still a game to be played. 
the rules have changed slightly. 
you have gained some skills 
and lost others. 
play on, old man.