For What It's Worth

"...but Lot's wife, who was behind him, looked back and she became a pillar of salt."

~ Genesis 19:26

For what it's worth,
she says
I only glanced.

But the past –
what is behind us,
is a greasy, black bird that lights on our shoulders,
digging caustic claws into tender flesh,
reminding us of our uncomfortableness with ourselves.

This old crow feeds mostly on the carrion of mistakes.
Regrets that bloat in the sunshine of the present moment
and draw our attention
like flashing lights on the side of the road
as we dash by.

For what it's worth,
she says
I didn't mean to look.

We never mean to be mesmerized
by all the things that are, at the same time,
over and done with
and yet so available,
do we?

In her glance, there was no today. No tomorrow.
Only a single glimpse of yesterday.
Frozen.

It was her undoing.
For whatever it's worth.