“How have you spent your “dash”?

by Desmond Kelly the Star of eLanka

I write of a man who stood to “speak”,
at the funeral of a good friend
With reference to the “dates”
On his tombstone (to-be),
from the beginning, right to the end.

He noted that first, came the “date of your birth”,
then, the date of your death, brought some tears
But, what mattered most, this good friend now said
was the “dash” that you spent twixt the years

For this “dash” represented all of the time,
that you spent,while alive on this Earth,
and now, only those who loved you the most,
knew just what that little “line” was worth

For, it matters not, how much you had or you owned,
the houses, the cars, or the cash,
more importantly,friend, how you lived & you loved,
and how, exactly, you spent that “short dash”

Now, think about it readers, both long & quite hard,
are there things that you like to have changed,
for you never know, how much time you have left,
For the things that can still be rearranged

If we only could slow down, just for awhile
to consider the things that are real,
and try to take notice, as we live our life,
the way “somebody else” may now feel

To be less prone to violence or anger,
and enjoy your life even more
To help any others who might need your aid,
much more often, than ever before

If we treat each other with due respect
and wear, not a frown, but a smile,
remembering always, that this special “dash”
might simply last, just for a while

So, when finally, your very own eulogy’s read,
this friend, all your life will rehash
Would you still be proud of the things he would say
About how his dear friend spent his “dash”!!?.

Desmond Kelly.

“Star of eLanka”.