You'll Need It Later In Life

[couchgrouch]

You'll Need It Later In LifeDad heard me complainin', about my English classI hadda pen a sonnet, if I was gonna passbut it was a weekend, during early FallI'd rather go leave-jumpin', or play a little ballbut he said, "son, you're still youngthings you must do, make no sense to youbut life will show you lessons, only time can seeso if you doubt they're useful, take it from meyou'll need it later in lifeyou'll need it later in lifedon't think pleasure that's lostisn't worth the costwisdom always buysknowledge at any pricecos you'll need it later it life"as he got older, he'd curse rockin' chairscos they kept movin', but got nowhereDad thought a man should work on, something that's only hiscos nobody's special, if ev'rybody ishe loved to paint, the sun as it sankdays grow brilliant and bright, nearer they get to nightold age gave him more color, than he had in his primehe'd say, "life is a picture, don't spill the paint of timeyou'll need it later in lifeyou'll need it later in lifedon't think pleasure that's lostisn't worth the costtoday always buystomorrow at its pricecos you'll need it later it life"some hear the tick of timejust in the nick of timethey find that all their breathsjust fed the wind until their deathbut Dad knew he could toucheternity with his brushhe died on the back porch, and gave sundown his regardsan unfinished canvas, safe in his heartI wanted more than just dates, to decorate his stoneso I thought of what he told me, as I wrote a poem"you'll need it later in lifeyou'll need it later in lifedon't think pleasure that's lostisn't worth the costwisdom always buysknowledge at any pricecos you'll need it later it life"(c)2005 Robert George