Given Words Poem by Kurt Philip Behm

My youth and virility
left behind

The future-past
now so unkind

All laughter dormant,
children gone

The days too short,
the nights too long

But words stay with me
always will

Through light and dark
inscription fills

If meaning suffers
intents the same

New flowers distant
old fragrance claimed

But memories call
then call again

And often stay
my dearest friends

The white smoke rises
but just a whiff

These words as given
—my greatest gift

(Villanova Pennsylvania: February,2018)