Old Poem - I Smiled

Just to show that I truly am going to post anything, and not restrict myself to certain subjects, here goes an old poem I write. I dedicate it to my Uncle Jeff.

I was born

Or so I was told

In a new world

Naked and cold.

I was frightened, I was small, I was sad

But I smiled.

When I was five I was sick

I couldn't breathe most of the time

The doctor stuck his big needle in my flesh

And I smiled.

I was almost a teen-ager

My parents fought with their fists

And a knife...and a gun...

And I went to school the next day and I smiled.

I smiled because it was expected

I smiled to try to be strong

I thought, if I smiled long enough,

I'd be happy...I was wrong.

I got married one day

Everyone smiled

Except when the bill came

But, hey, I'm an adult now.

I continued to work

I continued to pray

That all of my smiles

Would pay off some day.

And then I felt something

Has my dream come true?

No...disappointment

But I'll smile now, too.

The years pass me by

Will my happiness start?

But then a phone call

Would destroy my heart.

My uncle was dead

I heard from my mother

Only thirty-nine

He was more like my brother.

I noticed with sadness

The smile on his face

But, this time, I can't join him

It would be a disgrace.

I'll bet he felt like I did

That life is what you make it.

Maybe he found happiness

But I could only fake it.

In four days I was back to work

"You've had your time to grieve"

I saw my customer and I smiled

And THAT I can't believe.

I smiled because it was expected

I smiled to try to be strong

I thought, if I smiled long enough,

I'd be happy...I was wrong.