Richard Lackman Poems

What if life took only one rotation of a fan
Birth and death occurring both within so short a span
Or how about an hour, so what difference would this be
Is it too short a time to count or would I still be me?
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The two were different as could be as anyone could surely see
One was tall and thick and white, the other black and thin and slight

To look at them it would be clear to any stranger standing near
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On a clear October day I peddle all my cares away
Through the vineyard, down the hill, around the curve, beside the mill
My bike is light with gears so spaced to conquer all the hills I face
My tires planted on the road, thin but strong to bear the load
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I asked the Elder for his sage advice
Hoping his reply would be concise.
What is the greatest prize I can attain?
What possession will insure the greatest gain?
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Having treated cancer patients for now 30 years
I've seen fear and anguish and of course so many tears
I've seen human nature at its worst and at its best
And witnessed those whose courage placed them well above the rest
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As flakes fall softly through the chilling air
And land one on another all around
They cover what was previously bare
Obscuring details of the rocky ground
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If I had one month to last all year it would be June
Living like Algonquins ‘neath the full strawberry moon
Resting on a grassy carpet laid beneath my feet
While daises and white lilies emanate an odor sweet
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As I look around me, everything I see
Looks the same as yesterday with no uncertainty
I see nothing changing; time seems not to move
Life for me seems quite secure, what more is there to prove
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And finally it is my turn so as a patient I did learn
About my dreadful diagnosis and unfortunate prognosis.
Throughout my medical career I have had a gnawing fear
As to how I would respond or have the strength to look beyond
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What is it about poetry that I find so appealing
Perhaps it is the storyline that I find so revealing
Maybe it is the rhythm and the cadence so freewheeling
Or simply how the rhyme leaves me with such a happy feeling
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