A Poem I Was Given

Sometimes we bump into people who give us a handwritten poem and don’t ask for anything in return. At least that’s what happened on Saturday, September 16th, 2023 at approximately 4pm Central Standard Time.

I was finished saying goodbyes at an annual event in Austin. You know, an event with politicians, business owners, advocates, and the general public. The type of event where you meet very passionate people, committed to their views of the world and how they want to change it.

As I exited the venue, a gentleman (who I had seen at the event earlier that day) approached me outside and asked if I liked poems. “Of course,” I told him, and he proceeded to reach into his bag and pull out a piece of paper that had something handwritten on it. Contained in a plastic Ziplock bag, was a poem that he handed to me and told me to enjoy it. That was it. Nothing was asked of me in return. Just to enjoy what he wrote. As he walked away, he looked back at me with a monk-like smile that beamed from the gleam in his eye.

After some thought, I wanted to give him and his poem more daylight in honor of the thoughtfulness and creativeness that he gave so freely to me. Therefore, I give you the following poem, which I will title “1-23-17,” which is the only thing at the top of the poem. Now, it’s your turn to enjoy!

1–23–17

Breathin’… a spirit of life…

water flowin’ …

daytime, nightime…

breath … a special gift of life…

a heatbeat of life…

breeze… grass, flowers, tress and a,

stream… with blue skies…

sunshining…

the birds singing…

breathe a little… take time to enjoy the breathin’ of the breath of life…

a beautiful and joyous feeling with a smile of a breath…

able to breathe right is a SMILE!!!

by Richard J. Schreiber