Left Behind (Ted A. Richard - Church Point, LA)

 

Jack and Jill went up the hill,

… and I was left behind.

Rub a dub dub, three men in a tub,

… and I was left behind.

Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle

… and I was left behind.

All of my life I’ve been left behind

… a child without a nursery rhyme!!

Children adolesce and teens say goodbye,

Friends move on and loved ones die.

… and I was left behind.

Like the undertow that the wave forgot,

Or the drop of rain that the storm brought not,

… I was left behind.

Yes, all of my life I’ve been left behind,

… the mind of a child in a grown-up’s time.

I see the world through infant’s eyes

And empty shadows and vacant smiles.

… because I was left behind.

Sometimes the darkness encompasses the light

And my beatless heart can see only night.

… because I was left behind.

In desperation, I sought to avenge 

My righteousness in this brotherhood of men.

… because I was left behind.

All of my life it was always my fault

So had to retaliate for this mental assault

…because I was left behind.

And then I discovered that revenge was not sweet;

Exactly whom was I trying to beat?

So much time wasted on trying to define 

This life I was living being left behind.

So I challenged my mind, in its infant state

To make all of the bitterness just go away.

And I ultimately deceived the shallows of my mind

Giving power to the people who had left me behind.

And giving up power is never the way

To bring sparkle into a dull sunray.

You see, Jack and Jill,

They fell down that hill.

… glad I was left behind

And the three men in the tub,

Well they were all scrubs.

… glad I was left behind

And the cat and the fiddle,

Just piddled and twiddled.

… glad I was left behind.

So now I live with my head inclined,

Looking up to the people who left me behind.

Since my child-like mind, it never grew

I learned from all the things they knew.

I have seen all their trials 

I have seen  all their falls.

And  through their mistakes

It was worth it all! 

And I learned some more things that they’ll never know;

Like how to love and how to grow.

I learned how to hope 

And I learned how to dream

I learned more about life 

And what it all means.

I learned to be simple, and always stand tall

And I learned how to triumph in spite of it all.

I learned to enjoy each heavenly day

And how to not take someone’s heaven away.

Yes, all of my life, 

The one left behind.

The one left alone

Perhaps by design.

And finally I realized 

I would be just fine.

My mind sees more clearly,

And my heart’s not so blind.

My soul feels the music,

Of heavens divine!

A life of achievement

For the one left behind!!