That which is done
Cannot be undone
But that which is undone
Can be done.
Some cards we choose
Some cards life gives
But whether chosen or given
Life’s purpose is to live.
We can plan our day
As we so often do
But the “unplanned for” occurs
Before it is through.
While time is constant
Not so the vagaries of life,
Events occur when least expected
And therein is the strife.
The illness of a friend
The death of a loved one,
An opportunity long hoped for
Then suddenly gone.
An upsetting diagnosis,
A prognosis not promising
And someone usually dependable
All of a sudden missing.
An examination failed,
A job interview flunked
And that “it will get better” maxim
Certainly debunked.
The only luck is bad luck
When nothing is going right,
And when such is the reality
Day is the same as night.
Promise after promise
Invariably leading to naught,
Afraid to even ask anymore
Feeling quite distraught.
No lack of counsel
Though none of it is working
And even when there seems a lull
Something bad is lurking.
The vicissitudes of life,
Myriad fluctuations
When even the best intentions
End in total frustration.
Why me, the plaintive cry
And why not some other one
Who can cope with all of this
And seamlessly move on?
In the school of hard-knocks
The school we call life,
We sometimes feel it’s just us
But all are prone to strife.
Life is what it is
Though different for everyone,
Let’s help another less fortunate
For someday we’ll be gone.
Stewart Russell © June 1, 2024
