Up early

4 am,

up early,

I have things to do

before I drive a friend to breakfast,

help him get in an out of his wheelchair

so he may see old friends, visit old haunts

and see the waitresses he used to flirt with

and who flirted back.

I wish I could do more;

I wish I had the power to lay on hands and heal sick;

I wish I could feed the masses,

shelter the homeless and immigrants;

I wish I could go back and listen to teachers

who tried to help

and I wasn’t ready to listen;

I wish I could go and talk to all the teachers

who were teachers for all the wrong reasons

and tell them to find another career;

I wish I were a better man

and I wish I could change so many things,

but I cannot.

But I will read a bit,

write a bit,

pray a bit

and take my friend to breakfast

so he may flirt, again.

4-28-25