Journeyman's Row

         Discovering tomorrow's future starts by discussing yesterday & today.

***  October 11, 2016  -  June 30, 2021  ***

“Flock Together”

Poem written by: Jim R. Irion

Two doves of a feather,

       stood on an empty road together,

When along came a grand fiberglass throng,

       a train of ungainly vehicles a mile long,

Many a sullen passenger were dressed in black,

       following an elderly couple leading the pack.

A decorated US veteran of the second World War,

       A dearly sweet beloved hailing from English shores,

They had been delayed by pompous restriction,

       What put the couple there was worse than fiction,

He fell ill with tremendous trouble breathing,

       She refused to leave his side despite her wheezing.

Similar sick patients were sent to the nursing home,

       Soon many of the elderly began departing in droves,

She wept and prayed, wanting, no... needing to stay,

       The staff had no choice; they must separate,

Truly heartbroken, tears streaming down her face,

       he reached out and said, I love you, my grace.

Tragically, one of their sons was following them,

       leaving behind his beloved wife and six children,

Before a decision was made regarding life support,

       scores of bikers arrived to pay respect once more,

Courage, sweat, tears and wheels, they ride together,

       a family protecting children no matter the weather.

As the vehicles approached one thing became clear,

       license plates showed the many miles traveled here,

They bore a shared weight of exhaustive weariness,

       By far the year before was anything less than serious,

As different looking as any one person could be,

       They were all still here as one human family.

High up in the sky more darkness approached,

       a thunderous maelstrom fit to rain fury below,

The doves looked at each other before nudging closer,

       This road was familiar to them but only a sojourn,

With a blink of their eyes and nod of their beak,

       they flew to follow the transient sadness and bleak.

Neither bird nor soul would make such a debate,

       Our time on Earth is much too shortened by fate,

Youngest of the six children was withdrawn and quiet,

       His older sister noticed; he was unable to hide it,

She hugged him close and said everyone needs a friend,

       Indeed the doves knew... to the very end.