Life Has Never Changed
May the winds of fortune
Find you upon the seas of plenty,
And might you reap the benefits
Of the wealth of knowledge of many.
Gather around, my youthful pride,
And listen while I relay
Songs of hope, good will, and cheer
For both tomorrow and today.
Sons and daughters, you will grow
In wisdom and in sense.
You’ll lead lives of work and little play
Your own sensibilities immense.
Good times will come and surely go,
Rigors will hold you fast.
Family and ingenuity must
Keep your mind on track.
These are times of very little
And I must leave you with this.
What we’ve always held long and dear
Will never lead you amiss.
The past had its troubles, too.
But we held together in strife.
Always live by what you believe
To carry you through your lives.
There’s no secret to any or all,
Just let me teach you the old ways.
And when you feel you’ve learned enough,
Tell me to hold out on the clichés.
It really isn’t difficult,
For what I tell you is true.
Life now and back then
Is still the same simple venue.
How you handle yourself truly is the key.
Keep yourself an open book,
Never cast stones and walk a straight line.
To make this recipe, you’re the cook.
© 2014 Deb Hirt