I Live

Part I:

Blissful

was that bouncing baby boy

Crying from the depths of his sacred soul

once again, I live.

once again,              I breathe.

you can tear me apart with your

cold, unwanting eyes

and you can break me down to half a man

but somewhere, there's a greater purpose.

I live.

and the snapshots began.

Part II:

And his life was spotted with occasions and traumas

tiger costumes and chicken pox

cavities and promotions.

The thirty-sixth woman became his wife

The thirteenth job became his life

9000 miles a year salary and commission

twice he missed a flight that crashed

three times the rental car was stolen

His brandy helped to soften the bite

of life's complications

The purpose that was so real and so powerful at first

was not enough to be graded as an essay

he was scolded

and spanked

So he set out to dissect and to be dissected

to learn the names,

to learn the capabilities of the human mind

he found his intelligence to be painful

there were many drawbacks

there were many occasions where he suffered deeply

and neared suicide

His purpose kept him going

but it was no consolation.

Part III:

And he climbed that hill of life out of desperation,

out of fear,

out of a silent hope that kept him empty

in his soul at night

Retirement came

he watched his grandchildren grow

into their own tiger costumes and chicken pox

and cavities and promotions

He stopped working

- he had always hated work

He stopped doing

- he was never a man of action

and he sat in his chair and he thought

his dentures clicked to a slow, contemplative rhythm

but a deeper stronger sense of purpose prevailed:

I live.

- Sept. 29, 1985, A.D.