The People I Met Poem by Randy McClave

I walked into a room with everyone I've ever met
I held no sorrow and I felt not one regret,
Because, everyone that was there in that room with me
Someway one or another they helped me see.
I looked around the room at all the memorable faces
It's strange I thought how feelings and time never erases,
And how happy I was to see them all once again
Then I remembered how it was, way back then.
I saw the people that I knew when I was a child
The ones with who I laughed with and went wild,
And the ones I went to church and also to school with
Where unto all of us everything was just a myth.
Then I saw the people that I just saw just once before
There I saw the salesman who came once to my door,
Then I was joyful and I began to smile
Because, some of the people I haven't seen in a long while.
Everyone was there who had ever entered into my life
I saw mailmen and beggars and waiters and waitresses and an ex wife,
Then I saw sales people and friends and boxers I once boxed
There was that salesman from Japan who once sold me socks.
I saw all my friends and my family who taught me to be strong
Then I saw the people who had used me and did me wrong,
Unto them all I now had the same excited feeling
I felt compassion and love and hope as I felt a new healing.
I saw so many, many people standing and talking there
At them all I couldn't help, but to stare,
Then I was overwhelmed with many great unexpected memories
Which ended playing out like documentaries.
I wondered if any of them knew or cared who I was
Or if any of the women there knew with them I was once in love,
And as I walked about the room hearing people laughing and talking
I just kept on thinking and walking.
I saw everyone that I have ever met or ever knew
And I wondered if they knew or remembered me too,
Though we all had many adventures and played many different roles
And we all had impacted many different souls.
Then as I looked upon all the different people in the room
No more did I feel sadness or shyness or even dread or gloom,
Then as I began to feel confident and also versed
I then wondered excitedly, who would I want to talk to first.

Randy L. McClave