There Once Was A Man

There once was a man, the world he loved so.

Adventure he wanted, and off he did go.

With his boots and his gun, on the x he did sign.

He had the confidence of the young, all would be fine.

The training was hard, the adventure was grand.

But the flight was soon over, it was now time to land.

A wife and a child, a family he did start.

To this new adventure, he would give his whole heart.

Saying goodbye to his ranch, his roots and his cows,

He built a new life, this one with vows.

This man he was good, solid and pure,

But for this he would soon learn, life had a cure.

The nights grew long and the words turned cold.

Sadly he thought, “This is my fate, until I am old.”

Each in their way, they took turns hurting the other,

Chained to their roles as father and mother.

The vices they worked, for a while at least.

But he woke hungover, his heart filled with defeat.

It wasn’t all bad, to the good times he’d hang on.

“I can do this,” he thought, “until I am gone.”

He dreamed of leaving, there was more to life he knew.

But he stayed and he stayed, ‘cause that’s what men do.

When he could take it no longer, he made a tough choice.

For this he was hated, how dare he have a voice.

All the good he did was forgotten, no longer did it count.

The battle lines had been drawn, a full attack she did mount.

Through her tears and her anger, it’s too bad she can’t see,

She also deserves more, he’d set them both free.

A soldier he was, he took the hits as they came.

Though he prayed and he prayed to know peace again.

Slowly but surely, the darkness was lifted.

He looked at his life and all he’d been gifted.

His children were healthy with lives of their own.

It’s hard to believe how quickly they’d grown.

A new love on his arm and room in his heart,

He gathered his pieces and made a fresh start.

This past it still lingers, it’s part of him now.

A fact he’d not change, even if he knew how.

It took a lifetime for him to see what was there all along.

He is good and he is noble, he is kind and he is strong.

To live a life of adventure and happiness was all that he wanted.

He’s finally there, no longer broken or haunted.

There once was a man who found what is simple and true,

In this play we call life, there is no Act Two.