some lessons take long

where all are left to fight alone and cold

your heart is broken by the force of dread

so hard is patience when you're growing old

on a knife's edge between the tired and bold

each wonders if they'll have to beg their bread

where all are left to fight alone and cold

the story has so many times been told

and every word a hundred times been said

so hard is patience when you're growing old

and yet each one remains calm and controlled

not giving sign of what's held in each head

where all are left to fight alone and cold

shallow the breath of those not yet consoled

and deep the anger of those who have fled

so hard is patience when you're growing old

not even those who took the foreign gold

could laugh when they saw just how the day sped

where all are left to fight alone and cold

so hard is patience when you're growing old

(C)2008, Fragano Ledgister