Nineyears have come and gone,
Still,we struggle and push on.
First,it was language we had to overcome,
WhenEnglish was not your native tongue.
Andthen there was culture, so broad and vast.
Wehad to bridge the Pacific step by step to last.
Itaught you how to drive and read a map.
Youtaught me patience and to take a nap.
Mydecline was obvious; yours so entwined.
Sofull of doubt, mine more combined.
Andso we struggle, to reach that distant goal.
TheGrail of retirement, to save our soul.
Whenwe’ll have time to do what we want
Andmoney to spend on whatever we've not.
Twosteps forward, three steps back.
Wehave no trouble getting what we lack.
We'lljust work harder, longer for sure,
Nineyears, times nine and more.
Copyright 2001 © Ronald W. Hull
10/14/01