A Different Path

Your life has just begun.

You’ve chosen a different path, a path that will be hard

(a path that will be more difficult than what was hoped for you).

But that’s OK.

It is up to you, it‘s all in your hands now.


Perhaps a child will give you direction and purpose, a new maturity.


There will be milestones along the way.


You will teach your child to walk and talk

(and spend years saying “sit down” and “shut up”).

There will be Halloweens, pictures with Santa and off to Kindergarten.

You will teach your child to ride a bicycle.

You will teach your child to drive a car.


You will pass down the hard lessons you’ve learned in life:

Avoid alcohol, cigarettes and other mood-altering stuff

(reality is hard enough to deal with on a real basis).

Stay focused in school.


Watch your child graduate high school with honors

(and move on to college, say, N.C. State, to get a real education).

Watch your child get a job and then get married and then have children.


At age 50, you can starting spoiling your grandchildren

(and know that you did good).

P.S.: It’s called “free verse,” you nimrod.