-- THE LAST STRAW --

By John Herlihy

We all end up somehow the worse for wear;

Frayed edges of my life show wear and tear.

Then the proverbial straw to break the camel’s back,

Making me feel as though tied up in a sack.

Why do I often feel caught in the lion’s paw,

Or worse gripped by the teeth in the wolf’s jaw.

A dire event happens that becomes the last straw,

Or retribution comes my way thru Jude’s law.

Do I really have to pass through the eye of the needle,

And not flatter my way to heaven thru my ability to wheedle.

At first slow then fast do I move thru the sands of time,

We each have our own hourglass, you yours, me mine.

Don’t they say every cloud has a silver lining

Why then do I cry into my cups, always pining?

Life has always offered me plenty of cheap thrills,

Making me feel packed to the rafters, full to the gills.

Forget not the bold images of the hammer and sickle;

The phases of the moon suggest our moods most fickle.

Finally, who so bold to actually knock on death’s door?

The person with nothing to lose, always ready to explore.

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(c) John Herlihy 7 March 2019