You think we sit here empty, work done day gone
Waiting
for dark
Or that we rattle drums, clash cymbals
To hide
the fear that we must go
But inside the husks of age, there's
breath
Hearts that sound life's tocsin still
Our minds
still dream the dreams of youth
Love burns steady, not as fierce and
careless
But calm and sure, deep as the ocean
We still can
wonder at God's creation
Search out the truths that undergird
The yeasty world around us
Find new joys, discover new
lands
Tread new paths, mine new ores
Our crutches,
walkers, chairs, and canes
Are badges of our determination
To hold the fort of independence
Against the forces that would
lay us down
Of course you'll live in worlds we'll never see
But we've known things forever closed to you
To walk a city's
streets on summer evenings
To leave doors unlocked, our windows
open
To let our children wander free, perhaps
Barefoot in
the silky dust of unpaved streets
To see the world around a friendly
place
Not a constant threat to life and health
Perhaps
you'll find when you grow old
Life need not glitter to be gold.
Robert Drury
Catonsville, Maryland
Back to Table of
Contents