In my seventy sixth year I've seen a lot

And I've endured a lot for what I've got.

So did my parent's generation before,

And they taught me to grin when life was raw.

Loss and less were facts of life

For those who survived grievous strife;

But always hardy...always humble...

Captured in words like "musn't grumble".

No social security in existence...

They got by with graft and persistence,

Living by rules of make and mend

With little left that they could spend.

But those that we as children knew

Set the tone that saw US through,

To look at life as it's lived now

Wondering all the time just how

Do the young today learn to cope

When somewhere in between the hope

Of something better has been lost

With people unwilling to pay the cost

Of learning what it means to live

In a world where it's more take than give...

And presumption is the pulpit's preaching -

What sort of lessons are they teaching?

Whine and moan, moan and whine...,

And someone somewhere will.toe the line

And driven by some strange form of guilt

Will chip at what our forebears built,

Until we lack the will and nerve

To knuckle down, ..to strive and serve.

To make the world a better place

More suited to a noble race

.....................................................................