Gather, learn and listen Grasp a piece of life and hold it Mold it to your liking And place it in the potter's kiln Lessons learned in church and school Help shape the growing child Tall tales, fables, folklore Place perspective on today Taste the timbre Watch it's phrases arching Tells a story of my own Breathing patchwork Tangent lines that cadence Palms and songs depict my lifeline Stories have been gathered For those who crave for something more Lessons for a future In what we learn and earn today Others learn to capture The themes they heard upon the page Scores of scores of textbooks Serve as my soul's family tree My life revolves in dreams which evolve through foresight I'd achieve, and while the sounds of those around me Is silent at times, I forge ahead Directed by where I want to go I too demand a focus Yet from within reside benign And thank all those who strive to reach More than one's arm-length allows Gather, learn, and listen Grasp a piece of life and hold it Listen to it's spirit And send it on it's way