THE OLD MAN

I saw tall ships as they sailed on the tide.

I traveled the seas, and the oceans wide.

I saw all the capitols, the temples, too...

And mountains and deserts come into view...

And icebergs, and islands, and flowers, and trees.

All of the world became clear to me.

I learned love, and hatred, and all the emotions,

And old-time religion, and new-fangled notions.

I felt sympathy, empathy, care and compassion,

He told of controls for every strong passion.

I knew patience, tolerance, and pure human need,

And race, and color, ethnic background, and creed.

Those weathered old creases upon his face,

Soon faded, as peacefulness took their place,

And I learned of courage and pride.

...And I wept when the old man died.

And now that he's gone, I finally see

The wonderful values I learned at his knee.

And now little children still come gather round;

And sit close to me, right here on the ground.

And I tell of the old man, bewhiskered and hoary

And they listen closely, as I tell the story.

I tell of the ships that sail on the tide

and the peoples and times, and courage, and pride.

And I tell his adventures in mysterious lands

and the love and compassion in old weathered hands.

And the children listen and I know they see

That I'm giving them what he gave to me.

And when I leave this world behind

I hope the children then will find

That I've left for them a legacy

Of the truths I learned at the old man's knee.

And in some distant time and place

When I shall see that old man's face...

Perhaps the children will say of me,

She made the world a better place to be.