'Old Timer'

I have walked past 100 dying men,
strolled through burning fires as women and children screamed.
Veered off a two story roof and fell through a wooden ladder,
only to share 17 stitches, a broken collar bone and three screws in my left ankle.

I've been there, done that.
Watched young him and her grow,
saw that old he cheated on young her.
Witnessed a fair share of miracles over the days.

I've loved two women during my span,
only to lose both to cancer,
but that’s not the worse.
I lost my only child to the hands of a drunken women.

She has pleaded for my forgiveness,
I told her, "what's done is done, god has forgiven you."
She seemed satisfied by my answer and left with a smile hinged on her guilty shoulders.
What kind of a god leaves a lonely sole to decay.

From there forth, many nights were spent contemplating about what to do.
Does god have a purpose for what he's done,
do I still have a purpose in life.
I mean if my lonely purpose wasn't to just reproduce the next generation of Ellis'.

It was thirteen years after my last immediate family member died,
three blocks from my door step, on 3rd Ave,
I, well I think I, forced myself into the street.
I'm not sure if he lived, that is, the little boy I mean, but I think I found my purpose.

At 81 years of age I rejoined the ones I loved.
I cannot tell you where, that would ruin the surprise,
but if I know one thing it is that life is worth living even if unhappy.
I never wanted to be a hero; I just wanted to sit on the sidelines as the game played on.