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