staying in the shade

no mention here of duty but we know
what must be done and still we shun
any plain mention of things to be done
and all the matters which we have to show
the options stand before us in a row
we have the knowledge but still we run
around in circles though under the gun
beyond us still there is a steady glow
at times one wants matters just to stop
for life to pause and give us all a chance
to breathe and think before we have to do
but life's not like that we work till we drop
the whole thing can be captured in a glance
and we must feel it all before we're through