Do Not Tell Jim Poem by Francis Duggan

Do not tell Jim of your troubles since of such he knows all too well
And of some very sad stories he does have of to tell
Though on his life's personal struggles he would rather not dwell
He is one who has been to and back from earthly hell

One of the few of his sort who refused for to fail
A street kid at thirteen his biological dad was in jail
His step father used to beat him from home he ran away
Bad memories of a childhood of suffering a lifetime destined to stay

One of the few of many street kids who did not resort to crime
So many homeless at a young age have been known to serve prison time
From an early age Jim life's stiffest challenges did meet
And for a few years he survived homeless on the street

A kind factory manager in life gave him his first break
An opportunity which he quite gladly did take
He feels grateful to the man who helped him in his time of need
And given the opportunity he is one in life who did succeed

With a beautiful wife and a baby daughter at the age of twenty five
At an early age life's toughest challenges he did survive
Do not tell of your sob stories in life to Jim
Since you are one who has not lived it quite as hard as him.