50 years ago, at 9am this date, Aug 3rd, 1954, a date which will live in infamy, forget Dec 7th or Sept 11th, the day I was hatched was a day the world did rue... *ed*

Half Century Old or Young…

My day it finally did come,

Half a century old am I or young,

Had to at least make some mention,

To alleviate my own, I knew I would have inner tension…

Life has been good, the last twenty some years,

Prior to that, I was not a good boy, would have put you in fear,

As a child I was less than perfect, more so bad than most,

Growing up in a dysfunctional family, dad & mom boxing my ears…

Sure beatings and verbal abuse were commonplace,

As it was back then for a lot of us, kids were for the most part a disgrace,

I grew up bad, inside where no one could see, religion I did not embrace,

I felt I was bad, I knew it per my parents; I felt I could kill; yes that was the case,

Not a good way, I grant you, but I seemed to turn out okay,

At least now my past, while I do remember it, for others it was erased…

A war I had fought, a war without end,

A war without support, our nation I did defend,

Scrapes with the law were commonplace,

Authority over me, I did not have any respect,

Thought my dad could get me out of everything,

He couldn’t I found out, now in retrospect…

Ended up as a guest of the NJ State Corrections,

If I didn’t I would have been dead long before now, as I made my collections,

Hurt some others along the way, paid for it and changed, I hope enough,

Three years of my life taken away, I came out of the experience, less tough,

Learned I did how to cope and to live, no more hurting, no more personal pain,

I am herein only relating a story, a story of my life, no I am not complaining…

I had written a lot when locked up, never anyone did know,

But now I have found a new outlet, for any frustrations, lack of love & so,

I write to you, I write for me, I allow my puppy to chase cats up a tree,

No longer do I fret over the past, although I remember it to stay free,

I just really wish, I could help those I hurt in the past, or future generations,

But if I cannot, maybe just by staying sober and problem free,

That may show to the world, and to myself how far I have come,

That is at least to a quite tolerable degree…

                        © ed ~ 8/3/04