I ENVY YOU
(WRITTEN TO THE ELDERLY IN OUR CHURCH)
THERE'S NO FOLKS ALIVE TODAY
I ENVY QUITE LIKE YOU.
YOU'LL QUESTION MY SINCERITY,
BUT ACTUALLY IT'S TRUE.
ALL MY BATTLES LIE AHEAD,
YOUR'S ARE MOSTLY WON.
I'VE MANY MILES TO GO,
YOUR RACE IS NEARLY RUN.
I'D LOVE TO SAY, AS PAUL ONCE DID,
AS WORK WAS ALMOST DONE:
I'VE FOUGHT THE FIGHT AND KEPT THE FAITH
NOW SOON I'LL SEE THE SON.
THERE'S ONE MORE REASON, I MUST SAY,
DIFFERENT THAN THE LAST;
FOR WHY I'D LOVE TO HAVE MORE GRAY;
AND ALL THE YEARS YOU'VE PASSED.
THE LAST MILE'S THE CRUCIAL ONE
TO SEE WHO THE WINNERS BE.
MANY START, BUT TURN ASIDE,
THIS DANGER'S THERE FOR ME.
LAST ROUND ACTION, IS BY FAR,
MORE VITAL THAN THE FIRST.
FOURTH QUARTER PLAYS CAN WIN THE GAME,
AND CAUSE OUR HEARTS TO BURST.
FOR YOUR REWARDS IN HEAVEN,
THE TALLY'S NOT YET IN;
THERE'S MUCH WORK YET LEFT UNDONE,
MORE CROWNS THAT YOU CAN WIN.
NO ONE HAS MORE TIME TO PRAY,
AND PRAYER IS WHAT WE NEED.
NO ONE HAS MORE TIME TO LOVE,
TO PLANT THAT PRECIOUS SEED.
NO OTHERS ARE SO QUALIFIED,
YOUNG BURDENED HEARTS TO CHEER;
YOU'VE MADE IT THROUGH THE VALLEYS,
YOU UNDERSTAND EACH TEAR.
ENCOURAGEMENT AND GUIDANCE
COULD GIVE BETTER THAN I;
MEN LISTEN TO YEAR'S EXPERIENCE,
WHO'LL PASS YOUNG PREACHERS BY
YOU'VE GOT STILL MUCH BREATH AND LIFE
TO LEAD MEN SAFE TO GOD.
YOU, TOO, MUST BE A WITNESS,
NO NEED TO THINK IT ODD.
YOU SAY YOU DON'T FEEL NEEDED.
THAT'S SILLY AND WRONG BY FAR.
FOR IF YOU'LL DO WHAT'S NEEDED,
THEN NEEDED IS WHAT YOU ARE.
MORE THAN WE NEED YOUR MONEY;
YOUR YOUTH, HEALTH, OR LOOKS;
WE NEED YOUR LOVE AND WISDOM;
AND MOST ARE STILL GOOD COOKS!
NO WORDS ARE LIKE EXAMPLE,
AND THIS YOU SURE CAN GIVE.
OUR TEENS, TO FACE TOMORROWS,
MUST SEE HOW YOU NOW LIVE.
WHY DON'T YOU LIFT THAT DROOPY CHIN.
THE WAR IS NOT YET THROUGH.
YOU'RE STILL NEEDED IN THIS FIGHT;
THERE'S MUCH THAT YOU CAN DO.
THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS RETIREMENT
WHERE GOD'S CONCERNED, MY FRIEND.
HE EXPECTS YOU TO WORK ON;
BE FAITHFUL TO THE END.
IF YOU HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN,
THEN DEATH IS VICTORY'S DOOR.
DON'T FRET O'R YEARS WITHOUT REWARD,
STRIVE NOW TO LAY UP MORE.
I'VE JUST BEGUN MY JOURNEY;
EXAMPLE I HOPE YOU'LL LEND;
WHY NOT HELP A YOUNG PREACHER:
SHOW ME A GLORIOUS END!
MARK BULLEN