Saturday, February 25, 2012

THIN ICE

Editor's note: "There comes a time in every person's life when he begins to wonder how he stands in the Big Book," Dad wrote as the introduction to this poem.

Man is less than perfect,
And, as far as I can see,
With all his warts and foibles,
He was never meant to be.

We all have had our moments,
And we all have seen a day
When scruples were forgotten,
And we went a bit astray.

Temptations come so often
To the restless and the young;
They listen to the Devil,
And a little fling is flung.

I know it's human nature,
When our years begin to fade,
To think about our failings,
And the record we have made.

There'll be a day to settle,
And it comes to everyone;
We'll have to pay the fiddler
For the dancing we have done!

I'm tempted very seldom now,
My errant ways are few;
I walk the straight and narrow,
Like a person ought to do.

I guess I'm not so different
From any other sinner;
We skate with less abandon
Where we know the ice is thinner!

Hominy Grits (1986)

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