Tangerine
by Sheye Blaze
life is an ever precious gift
we so often forget how fragile
taken for granted in the grind
of everyday life and survival
the sweetness of mandarin tangerines
as you rip open the skin, peel apart the flesh
and swallow it in great appreciation
of the juice, but not the life
this is how we live our lives
following along behind others
until our lives are ripped apart
by fate, time, tragedy, death
or only too often - ourselves
we plan and plan and plan
never seeing what is right before us
forgetting that we control our destinies
not remembering what is within
our grasps, reach and influence
death can be a long-awaited friend
life is something that can't wait
