The Facts of Life

The hardest part's not growing up,
It's growing old.
The toughest part's not facing life,
It's facing facts.
Life's path is not the same for all,
If truth be told,
Some lives are lived in words
And some in acts.

Life's a play and we the players,
The world's our stage
And parts are purely improvised.
No lines to learn,
The plot unfolds as we proceed
From page to page
Making entrances and exits
Each in its turn.

How long the show we're in will run,
No one can say.
We perform and execute our parts
As best we can.
And when we reach the final scene
That ends the play,
The final fact we'll face will be
How well it ran.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2024

Poem

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Wolf Avatar
May 10, 2024 at 4:40 PM
This is a wonderful write, Jim --- although I think the hardest part of life is 'growing up.' Great minds can differ occasionally. ~ gw
Slaughter Avatar
May 11, 2024 at 10:18 AM
Thanks, G. Different strokes for different folks...that's for sure.
Crandall Avatar
May 6, 2024 at 9:27 PM
Nice poem Jim, I can relate to getting to the point (not exactly the final scene I hope) where I'm starting to reflect on how it went, and how it depended on both words and acts.
Slaughter Avatar
May 7, 2024 at 10:55 AM
Thanks, David. I've often wondered if it's a contradiction in ideology when I hear: The pen is mightier than the sword...and Actions speak louder than words.
One Avatar
May 5, 2024 at 1:09 PM
Very true... and a bit more serious from you with deep introspection...
Slaughter Avatar
May 5, 2024 at 1:58 PM
Thanks, S O. I have my moments.
Bauer Avatar
May 4, 2024 at 2:22 PM
Wonderfully written, Jim, with such an interesting and cool rhyme scheme! I very much enjoyed…
Slaughter Avatar
May 5, 2024 at 9:18 AM
Thank you, Ilene...and that's a fact!
M  Avatar
May 4, 2024 at 1:13 PM
Love the way you have written this Jim! We have to make the most of our play so when it ends we can say that was the best play ever and l really enjoyed it! Ha….great poem! De bx
Slaughter Avatar
May 4, 2024 at 1:32 PM
Thanks, Deb, and I think it's probably always the "best play ever"... since we only get one shot at it.
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