When You Get "On"

When You Get "On"

When you get "on" and you've lived a long time

And the walk up the stairs is a might high climb,

Though your eyes are dimmer than what they were

And the page of a book has a misty blur,

Strange as the case may seem to be,

Then is the time you will clearly see.

You'll see yourself as you really are,

When you've lived a lot and you've traveled far,

When your strength gives out and your muscles tire

You'll see the folly of ambition's desire;

You'll see what now to your sight is hid,

The numberless trivial things you did.

Often the blindest are youthful eyes,

For age must come ere a man grows wise,

And youth makes much of the mountain peaks,

And the strife for fame and the goal it seeks,

But age sits down with the setting sun

And smiles at the boastful deeds it's done.

You'll sign for the friends that were turned aside

By a hasty word or a show of pride,

You'll laugh at medals that now you prize,

For you'll look at them through clearer eyes

And see how little they really meant

For which so much of your strength was spent.

You'll see, as always an old man sees,

That the waves die down with the fading breeze,

That the pomps of life never last for long,

And the great sink back to the common throng,

And you'll understand when the struggle ends,

That the finest gifts of this life are friends.

Author Unknown

Ideals Books

Sign My Guestbook View My Guestbook

Graphics by PJB