An old song says,
“…I ain’t got long
to stay here….”.
but I feel no haste to
“…steal away,
steal away home…”.

For mine is
the hot flow of warm love
between my darling wife and I,
the bell tone giggle of my
princess grand-child,
the jingle of new found
coins in my pocket,
the finding time to kill
with nothing to do,
and well wrought sonnets
by poets like you…

Even my knowing He waits
at the gates
till He sees me coming
a long way off,
but He can’t stand still
so He yells commands
to cook the fatted calf
as he runs down the road
to embrace His prodigal,

still,

I feel deep rooted
in the soil of the earth,
am in no rush
to leave my place of birth.

So,

let my Time
come
at its own slow pace,
there be blessings enough
to love this place.

I will live like
Forever
has been promised my race,
then shuffle off to heaven-

to kiss-

my old Fathers face.