Patient Waiting
By John Herlihy

We think we understand the need for patience,
In the same way we have the need for acceptance.
The face of patience etched self-reliant and sober,
Patient waiting makes our actions become nobler.
The tendrils of fog cross the valley as a roiling surf,
Moving along at a glacial pace with very little mirth.
Patience seems to put everything in its proper place;
Misery, loss, disappointment all take on a human face.
Whatever happens in life can with patience be borne,
A noble virtue to withstand the sting of life’s thorn.
Patience a force more powerful than the ocean’s tide,
An inner force to endure that which we must abide.
Patience endures the miseries we need not embellish,
Bringing with it a sense of peace that we quietly relish.