Knowingly, Oh So Knowingly
By John Herlihy

And when I opened my widening eyes,
I looked to the left and to the right,
Curiously, oh so curiously.

And when I came to earth’s door,
I knocked and entered like a lamb,
Cautiously, oh so cautiously.

And when I passed thru the open door,
I gazed all the way to the horizon,
Reflectively, oh so reflectively.

And when I took my first infant steps,
I looked to my mother who looked at me,
Lovingly, oh so lovingly.

And when I graduated from the university,
I took the best of my father’s advice,
Supportively, oh so supportively.

And when I rough housed with my brothers,
I accepted their wise and honest counsel,
Freely, oh so freely.

And when I sweet talked with my sisters,
I treasured their support and encouragement,
Faithfully, oh so faithfully.

And when I now think of my beloved parents,
I remember all that they sacrificed for me,
Reverently, oh so reverently.

And when I think of all the friends I had,
I think of their kindness and generosity,
Fondly, oh so fondly.

And when I think of all the strangers that I met,
I marvel how they helped me without any gain,
Willingly, oh so willingly.

And when I entered the mainstream of life,
I did so with an open mind and heart,
Courageously, oh so courageously.

And when I had to assume responsibility over others,
I did so with a view to their desires and needs,
Purposefully, oh so purposefully.

And when I walk down many a dusty road on my travels,
I brushed aside the sagebrush and brambles,
Carefully, oh so carefully.

And when I entered the lonely realm of old age,
I embraced the solitude offered me,
Gratefully, oh so gratefully.

And when I faced life’s perennial mystery,
I accepted the unknown and the unseen,
Trustingly, oh so trustingly.

And when I saw the end of the road draw near,
I approached with the murmur of my beating heart,
Acceptingly, oh so acceptingly.

And when I remembered my Creator and Lord,
I knelt down and prayed to Heaven,
Devoutly, oh so devoutly.

Postscript:

And when he came to the yawning cliff before him,
He understood this was the end of a long, long road,
Sadly, oh so sadly.

And when he remembered that death promised life
He understood death’s door opened the sun door,
Happily, oh so happily.

And when he looked one last time into the void,
He took one final step that he couldn’t avoid,
Unknowingly, oh so unknowingly.

And when he opened his widening eyes in wonder,
He gazed upon the unknown as if struck by thunder,
Knowingly, oh so knowingly.