Everything tarnishes,
just give it time.
Bright patina fades,
in front of my eyes;
the dull grey reveals,
what always was there.
Where once I thought,
something shimmered,
a cheap illusion unveils.
Caught in waning sunlight,
how cloudy everything seems.
I must at least wonder,
if the brightness was ever there;
or did overcast skies,
chase the glimmer away,
as the sun slowly faded,
leaving long shadows, streaking,
in a once cloudless sky.
Amid this, ever darkening landscape,
I hurriedly polish,
with circular motion,
to keep it from fading,
for a few moments longer.
I can’t help but wonder,
if my energy spent,
is worth prolonging,
the counterfeit glitter.