You Never Know
By John Herlihy

He always stood straight,
Whenever standing at all,
Conscious of appearance,
He preferred to stand tall.

He always kept silent,
When mingling in a crowd.
He went about his business,
And rarely said anything aloud.

When he found himself working,
He assumed an air of calm.
People noted his peaceful presence,
Filling a room with its soothing balm.

When he encountered others,
He always wore a ready smile.
He considered it a thing he owed,
Leaving little room for any guile

He held on to every promise,
To protect, to preserve, to keep.
He hoped for a good outcome,
That gold touch what he may seek

Whenever someone approached,
He performed his humbling task.
He never refused to give assistance,
Whenever he was politely asked.

Whenever someone asked him,
To do a thing he thought wrong,
He always turned himself away,
To preserve his own inner song.

He always put his best foot forward,
Looking fine from his head to his toe.
Everyday when his destiny knocked,
He wanted to be ready, you never know.