One Little Wave 2-11-18

A non-eventful morn it was

as many were before.

The sun came up exposing life

just off the sandy shore.

The winds blew in across the lake

creating quite a stir -

and waves grew up from nothing yet

there's lessons to infer.

I followed just one little wave

to see what it would do.

It seemed to be behaving well

or did I misconstrue?

Between two other waves it moved

across the little lake.

It'd sometimes try to reach up high

which was its first mistake.

For what it saw were waves ahead

so he became aghast.

Why, they were all in front of him -

while he had followed last!

Each time it swelled to reach up high

it wanted to be seen -

but then it'd drop back down again

and stay there in-between.

Then those two waves on either side

had closed in on the one -

which raised him up just high enough

he glittered in the sun.

"Hey, look at me!" he seemed to say -

with ego growing large.

He liked- no, he demanded that

alone, he'd lead the charge.

So there he rode above the rest -

now highest wave of all.

And there he took in all of life

which made him feel tall.

Behind, he looked - and saw those waves

applauding- east to west.

His popularity increased

as you might well have guessed.

So there he was still looking back

with ev'ry want and whim.

While riding high, he saw those waves -

those waves that followed him.

But life is short, so very short -

and most don't understand -

that hourglass starts running low

with top devoid of sand.

Applause was great and greatness too

while he sought even more -

but suddenly his time ran out

in death on other shore.

©2018 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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