-- Almost Always, Almost Never --

John Herlihy

Those long days and those weary nights;

The fleet-footed days and the magical nights.

The sad memories and the unfulfilled dreams;

The happy memories and the fulfilled dreams.

There wasn’t a day when some emotion rang true ;

Sorry days ended, yet love seeing the dawn we knew.

If you saw the child in me, you know I don’t mind;

If you saw the old man in me, I always seek to find.

I do not remember grief and loneliness,

As much as I remember comfort and peace.

Grief yes, but never without some comfort,

Loneliness yes, but never without some peace.

I have experienced the effects of trust and love,

But I have also experienced betrayal and hate.

Trust yes, but never without the slap of betrayal,

Love yes, but never without the backlash of hate.

I do not remember back-stabbing and lies,

As much as I remember praise and the truth.

Back-stabbing yes, but never without some praise,

Lies yes, but never without some hidden truth.

I have experienced joy and contentment,

But I have also experienced sorrow and discontent.

Sheer joy yes, but never without some shred of sorrow,

Contentment yes, but never with the chill of discontent.

I do not remember humility and shyness,

As much as I remember pride and assertiveness.

Humility yes, but always with a tinge of pride,

Shyness yes, but always with a little assertiveness.

I shouldn’t say always, but almost always,

I shouldn’t say never, but almost never.

Use of always and never are forms of extremes,

Encouraging certain words to burst their seams.

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Copyright © John Herlihy

Friday 14 May 2020