Last Sundown Poem by Barry Middleton

The sun is going down,
but I still have a wish or two,
and there is something left to say.

Now I must leave this place.
Forgive my fallibility,
and if you loved me shed a tear.

But do not grieve for long.
I loved you too and do not want
you to forget that life goes on.

Disregard but this,
for it contains my final wish;
do not give up on peace and love.

Do not give up on hope.
The fight for justice must live on.
That is my only legacy.

Oh yes I made mistakes.
And every man encounters shame.
Admitting that is virtue's door.

And passing through that door,
we seek to balance our accounts.
We do the best we can with that.

I truly believe to try
is all a man can really do.
And I can simply say I tried.

I hate to leave this world,
but there is something beautiful
that finally comes at end of day.

There are the memories,
the hills and valley streams of home,
the friends and lovers lost in time.

And there was poetry,
like prayer it always soothed my soul,
I have recorded every dream.

The darkness lies ahead,
but now I see a primal glow
that must be like the birth of light.

The colors all abound,
the scarlet and the tangerine,
the turquoise and the royal purple.

And there is rest that comes.
I go to join the atmosphere.
I am at peace with gods and men.