Traditions

those old things we do
left over from long ago ~
someone made it up,
came up with it, found
meaning in a time when
their world was adrift

but those days are gone
long past, taking their times
and significance and
meaninglessness ~ shouldn't
the days long gone relegate
dead traditions to history?

when our days - yes, today -
become empty of meaning
devoid of direction, when
we flounder for foundation
we see that traditions thought
to be dead give us a way

to be alive; and we know,
somewhere deep, far more
central to our self than heady
intellect - we know in the
heart of our soul - that who
gave life then, gives life now