Follow life’s simple rules - they say

Follow life’s simple rules - they say!


They say life is what you make it!
Well, that’s all well and good
But why then I wonder
And not meaning to be misunderstood,
Is it karma or fate when I blunder?

They say love is forever!
Perhaps it is but then that means
I have lived an eternity several times already
Which blows that theory to smithereens
Perhaps this time I’ll keep love going steady?

They say treat others as you expect to be treated!
I can agree with that concept
But that’s no really what happens is it
As not everyone follows that precept,
That said, it’s still a belief to which I commit.

They say honour thy father and thy mother
Oh dear, difficult one this!
The reliance here is that by good example
Your parents kept you from any abyss
Best say only that they are at least good people


They say never drink to excess!
Sadly this vice I have enjoyed
Never unpleasant, I sometimes drank too liberally
These days excess drink I now avoid
Well - usually.

Never take your friends for granted they say!
This advice I do heartily recommend
You cannot possibly underestimate
The value of many a good friend
In good times or bad they supported me any time or date.

Listen to good advice they say!
I say I have listened to good advice
And fair to say some of it was wise,
Or, at least not harmful to be precise
It was not listening to it that lead to my demise

What then should you make of these stanzas
You who read this poem? Perhaps
The message is be yourself is all it takes
For you to avoid my many moral mishaps
Well, we all learn by our mistakes.

At least, that’s what I say.