The Man I Might Have Been

A portrait of the man I might have been
Hangs in a darkened room within my mind.
A different me, the world has never seen,
In subtle shades, with brush strokes well-defined.

That portrait though is not on public view;
In truth, it shows a road I did not take.
In praxis clear-cut chances can be few,
And we should try to learn from each mistake.

Sometimes we circumvent the truest path;
Wasting time by trials of our own making.
I lost my true love and incurred her wrath,
And this old foolish heart still keeps on aching.

*          *          *

Just strive to be the best that you can be,
And nurture love when she is in in your care.
Not many things in life are truly free;
But if we treat her well, love's always there.

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Copyright © Robert Haigh 2018