tempus fugit

like grains of sand
or crumbled shale
a sea of faces
brave and hale
some future aeon's
sediment
crushed beneath
time's grinning veil
unremembered
those who spent
a worthless life
wind-whipped and bent
their cradles sold
for coffin wood
poor substitute
for board and rent
mortality
misunderstood
scarce seconds left
for making good
await your happy
ends in vain
unplanned unborn
they never stood
the signs ignored
with faint disdain
the prematurely
ending reign
of those so negligent of scale
soon judged by history insane