The Greatest Thief

The greatest thief
Is a swindler of time,
Whose relentless,
Endless
Goal in mind
Is the desire to relieve
Sooner than is prime,
As if he'd strip a tree
Of her leaves
In summertime
And hamper her growth,
Damper her strength,
Shorten her length,
Make scamper
And scare off
All that life gave her-
Just a collection of days,
Of seasons and phases-
Not to be forsaken
By those awakened.