You Have Not Yet Learned How To Live Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Look not do I,
For your attention.
And giving is for me,
Something that I naturally do.

I am not seeking anything,
To receive an expectation of respect.
If I get it I get it.
But I do know what's for me is true.
I do know what's for me is best.

I want to see you happy.
To see you smile,
Is my gift from you.
I want to see you happy.
And If I am guilty of that...
That explains your attitude.

I've already experienced the affects,
Of being selfish...
And learning lessons from it.
I've already experienced a self centeredness.
To believe I was the beginning...
With a power to see,
What I wished to end next.

And I thank God,
For showing me how I was blessed.
By teaching me WHO and WHAT truly ruled.
With a taking away from me,
What I most loved as a test.
Dear friends and family were taken away.
Until I thought I was also going to lose my breath.

I've already experienced the affects,
Of being selfish...
And learning lessons from it.
I've already experienced a self centeredness.
To believe I was the beginning...
With a power to see,
What I wished to end next.

And after learning painful lessons,
That did not take me long to get.
I know that it is in the giving.
And not living with a mind filled with selfishness.

I want to see you happy.
To see you smile,
Is my gift from you.
I want to see you happy.
And If I am guilty of that...
That explains your attitude.
You have not yet learned how to live.