I’ve walked on the dark side of things,
felt alone in a crowded room
and danced upside down in the rain.

I’ve seen morning fog
drift in a lazy haze
down the slope of a mountain valley.

I’ve tasted some of the finest food in the world
while sitting at my own table
opposite a mighty fine brown-haired girl.

I’ve loved and been loved,
held my own and been shoved through
some of life’s hardest moments.

I’ve rocked and read
to my own little towheads
and sung them off softly to bed.

I’ve rocked and rolled
on makeshift stages,
and been cheered on by all of life’s ages.

I swam deep in waters warm and clear
and marveled at the living palette
the ocean brought near.

I’ve flown clear above the clouds of earth’s first heaven
and I’ve seen the black seams of coal
that are taken, not given.

I’ve cheered at games
and shared joys at birth,
and wept as bodies were shoveled back into earth.

I’ve made more money than I’ve lost,
sometimes paid others’ costs
and known in the same moment both gain and loss.

I’ve made many laugh and made several cry
and sometimes not known myself
any particular reason why.

When my life is over and by others measured,
may all agree these are the things
that I most treasured:

Friends and family,
a good day’s work,
faith, hope and love.

And homemade apple pie.

H. Arnett
8/31/17