I’M NOT ALL GONE (a poem)
Though I spent a lifetime providing counsel,
helping people to navigate life.
Don’t ask an eighty-year-old to give advice
in those fields where my knowledge is thin.
People like me haven’t learned to say “No.”
Auto-pilot altruistically kicks in, and
I grope in vain for the off switch.
No lack of self-confidence
but short-term memory is shot.
Haven’t won Jeopardy any time lately.
No worries, I have Google, my uber intellect.
What I don’t know, I know in an instant.
You ask me for help, you get what I got.
Ask succinctly and loudly, my hearing is gone.
Ask about life, and love and loss,
Those are close to me now.
If when you tell me what’s going on,
you may see me tear up, ‘cause I understand.
If when you tear up, I hold your hand,
you will sense I know someone who
knows more than Google or AI,
who has what you need if we ask him together.
© Ron Unruh, June 2023
Ron, I came upon this quite by accident and was immediately struck by its relevance for my life (i.e. evidently I'm three years your junior). Thanks for eloquently expressing something so common to many of us. BTW: we were both at LCBM back in '66-67. Although I was enrolled in the 4 yr Bth, I only stayed that freshman year and then left for teacher's college and McMaster. Best wishes to you and Christine (I remember her beautiful voice in chapel). Wayne Andres
ReplyDeleteWhoops. The year was 65-66. WA
ReplyDelete