What's Right....

Many days I end up talking to quite a few people for the promotion of The Questioning Way blog and book. Every once in awhile I have one of those really good but really short conversations with someone where not a lot needs to be said, because everyone is on the same page. Today's post is for my new friend Jeanna with whom I recently had the pleasure of having one of those kind of conversations.  "What's Right" is a poem featured in the book.  

What's Right

He was bad news walking

The kind of guy you wish you didn't know

He was in his late thirties,

And had gone too far too early on

He was a big dog in big business

Leaking money and dripping pride

Smelled of Bourbon every day by 5:00pm

He played hardball and bragged of shady deals

Told me all about steamy nights with his secretary

While his wife waited at home

With dinner getting cold, a barking dog

And two children needing to be tucked in

Then one evening I saw him down at the bar

He said, John, everything's gone to shit, and I just don't know

Life is hollow, and I'm all wrong

I think my wife is gonna leave me, take my kids

How did I ever let it get this way?

What I should do? I just don't know

I said, hell Ed, yes you do

You did all along

They say all is fair in love and war

But I really don't believe that anymore

You know, a long time ago, I was just like you

I liked lotsa fat in life, loved only fast lanes on fast bikes

Hung always with bombshell bimbos shallow as a cocaine spoon

Every day I played both ends to the middle

Shot jacked-up pool with the best of them

And thought I'd do whatever it took

To make sure I'd always win

Then late one night out on a jet-black 750

Long, hard and deep on a right-hand curve

Ridin' way too fast, the bike went down

And four days later, I woke up damn near dead

But listen, weeks later, when I walked out of that hospital

The sky couldn't have been bluer

And the May air had never been as sweet and fresh

Standing there with metal in my hip

I held my head high

And looked at the day with bright new eyes

Live each day

As if it's going to be your last

Leave a good word with every stranger you meet

Make sure your ideals are well thought out

And worn on your sleeve

Every day, show the ones you care about

How much you appreciate them

And when the chance arises

To do things great or small

Have some faith and don't hesitate to leap

Because you might not be around too long

Just as every man can love

So each of us has a sense

That tells him what he ought to be doing

Knows what is right and what is wrong

Shows him what is kind, caring and strong

Sometimes it takes losing everything

To take a good hard look

And find out that all you really need to know

To steer a better course in life

Is already written in an open book inside of you

Live life full and hearty

If you find love, don't walk away

But make sure you run your desires

Don't let them run you

Always remember

Each morning begins a day not yet penned

Throw the game a time or two

In someones favor, who has less than you do

Guide your life with a compass that hopes

When your story is all written

And you've set your sail one last time

The blue and white rippling wake

You quietly leave behind

Will be gentle, uncommon and kind

Dewey Dirks---copyright 2009