Present-Minded

[deckardcanine]

Would you welcome the chance to go back to the past,
Affecting historic events?
We’ve thought of it often, but many decide
It would come at an awful expense.
Could making a paradox cause us to freeze
Or explode, as Doc Brown once surmised?
If not, could we still make things worse for the future?
I wouldn’t be very surprised.
But one thing I’ve realized is how many stories
Pretend that the present’s the end.
In truth, every action we make is a gamble
We someday may have to amend.
What brings ill in an era might better the next.
We’ll never know which route works best.
The most we can do is be morally sound
As we follow the path that we’ve guessed.
For my part, I’d hate to be given the option
To alter the timeline at will—
Couldn’t fix every problem, but where would I stop?
The thought of it gives me a chill.