Inevitable

There are only
so many pieces
you can take -
so many
days and nights
spent grieving and
awake.
Only so many
spindles
to prick your fingers
to make you cry
and close your eyes.
There is only
so much time
before the next
tick-tock,
the next valley,
or ocean,
or pitted, unclimbable
rock.
How will we endure
so many circles,
will we run fast?
Or far?
And is it ever possible
to finish
first
instead of
last?