•
life is generous
with the good and bad
countless experiences
joyous and sad
it would appear
you’ve had your share
you’ve garnered wisdom
learned how to care
you have known joy
you’ve tasted pain
stricken with sorrow
but smiled again
there have been hardships
and there’s been blessings
helpless frustrations
moments of guessing
tears cried for others
fears of your own
you’ve not always reaped
what it is you’ve sown
you’ve been envied
but you’ve been loved
you’ve helped pull through
been rudely shoved
rightly praised
and wrongly treated
momentarily dazed
but not defeated
you’ve been criticized
words harshly spoken
you’ve been knocked
but never broken
through it all
you have persisted
you have endured
and you’ve resisted
the easy temptation
to harbor hate
never blaming others
for what is your fate
you’ve steered clear fissures
not fallen in cracks
kept moving forward
not looking back
now your facial fissures
those knowledge tracks
display those proudly
when you smile back
you’ve been a good man
since your youth
time is witness
to this truth
the testimony
shines with grace
it’s etched indelibly
in your face
• • •
An excellent poem, a beautiful tribute to venerable age. Thank you.
A marvellous upbeat poem.
I’ve seen all these things etched in someone’s face as well, Rob, thank you for so eloquently etching the words!
“the easy temptation
to harbor hate
never blaming others
for what is your fate”
Words to live by. Thanks for this Rob. As always.
Yeah, the wonderful, awesome and painful realities in life! You brought them out so well Rob!