The Young Jester

The Young Jester

Cameron was very young, only eight years old
But he wouldn’t get much older, or so he had been told
The doctors said that leukemia would take him away one day
There was nothing they could do, except ease him on his way

Like everyone else alive, Cameron wanted to live a long life
He yearned to grow up and be a man, longed to take a wife
And decided on his own, that this sickness would not win
He prayed at night for an answer, to make this illness end

Too young to be religious, or know much of going to church
He found a way to talk to God, up on his lofty perch
He promised to devote his life to others and their needs
And knew that this was all he’d ask, humbly on bended knee

As days turned to weeks, then to months that slowly passed
He continued to live on, despite predictions he wouldn’t last
One day he found a skill, in acting a fool in front of friends
He slowly became a jester, and saw them smile all over again

Now he knew he’d found his talent; his calling if you will
And worked hard to perfect his act, while he himself was ill
As he worked to improve his show, he also became a magician
His sleight of hand was deft, he saw his dream came to fruition

As his act became more popular, his leukemia was slowly slaking
Until one day he no longer needed, the medicines he had been taking
Despite his health and wealth, he never stopped his show
He knew that this night might be the best they’d ever know

Despite his magic and trickery, he couldn't make them well
The doctors did all they could, but only time would tell
He honed his craft and skills to entertain them for a night
To help his friends have fun and forget their awful plight

One night he completes his show, alone up on the stage
In the audience sits his mother, amazed at his age
Tears flood her eyes as she sees why he does perform
She stands and cheers with the crowd, looking no more forlorn

Backstage she hugs him close, and whispers “I Love You”
Then tells him how proud she is, and for him to continue
For though she wants him home where she feels he should be
She knows that others need him more, with that she does agree.

Jim Dorrell
5/20/07

If you're curious as to who The Jester is, may I recommend you read "The Jester" 

The rest of the poems that are about his life, love, and eventual death can be found in "The Jester Poems"