-- Having and Wanting --

By John Herlihy

Some people have had too much of everything,

And still it is not enough.

Other people have very little of anything,

And yet what they do have is enough.

Some people gather a multitude of possessions,

And always have room for more.

Other people use and get rid of their possessions,

And seldom want for more.

Some people never seem to have enough time,

And complain they want more.

Other people have too much time on their hand,

And idle away the hours they have.

Some people want what other people have,

Their envy eats away their hearts.

Some people have what other people want,

And they give very little of it away.

Some people revel in the beginning of a thing,

And take no need of failure.

Other people pay attention to the end of thing,

And in doing so seem to ward off failure.

Some people are ambitious to prove themselves,

And set about making it happen.

Other people are ambitious to conceal themselves,

And set about making that happen.

Some people behold the great spectacle of life,

And put it on a pedestal to adore.

Other people behold the great spectacle of life,

But steer toward the horizon’s shore.

Some people go about their business in life,

And expect to be paid homage.

Other people go about their business in life,

And end up finding themselves hostage.

Some people see the gleaming light on the wet grass,

And find themselves content.

Other people see no light anywhere at all,

And will never find themselves content.

Some people have all the money is the world,

But it buys them an uneasy conscience.

Other people have very little money is the world,

But what money they have buys a clean conscience.

Some people give the appearance they see everything,

But they are blind to the most basic virtues.

Other people give the appearance they see nothing,

But their blindness betrays a humility in their virtues.

Some people freely give their heart away,

And end up finding themselves betrayed.

Some people never give anything away,

And so they end up never getting waylaid.

Some people have everything,

And end up with nothing.

Other people have nothing,

And end up with everything.

Beware of wanting what you can never have;

Wanting nothing and having nothing the surest salve.

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(c) John Herlihy January 2019