Poetry: Do as I Teach

DO AS I TEACH…

(A Poem by request)

A wise old man

Was basking in the sun

(Except for working on his tan,

With all the rest he had been done.)

Past him a youth in tears ran,

Heading for some place to use his gun.

But as he saw the old man—

So peaceful in the sun—

He checked his stride:

“But once he, too, was twenty-one…

Suppose I tried…”

“Hey, old one, hey!

What do you say?

If one was betrayed by a friend,

How could one this terrible tragedy mend?”

Chuckling softly to himself—

The “old one” means myself!—

The old man had thus begun:

“A friend, you say, my son?”

And then he saw the tears and the gun—

“Ah, but what a thrill it is to be so young!—

Oh I see: without that one,

You can conceive of no fun.

Then there’s only one way out:

And it’s NOT by blowing your brains out!

What if they don’t play it fair and square?

You’ll face the same old problem over there.

To gain your peace of mind again,

You must forgive her or possessed remain!

Later you’ll be free to love her or to leave her,

But what you MUST do is forgive her.

I know, alas!

Sometimes you can’t forgive a friend.

And if the friend’s a lass…

Well, at a pitch you may this rule a little bend:

If you can’t forgive—forget!

Or be forever on the fret.

And remember: by forgetting,

I mean forgetting

Without regretting!

And that’s how our friendships should end,

If we’re betrayed by a friend.”

“I see…

And if ‘t were THY friend

Betrayed THEE? “

“Me? You mean MY friend

Mean to ME?!

Well, first I would pray to my God:

Please lend me some strength, mighty Lord!

And then… Everything else to the dogs I’d throw,

And straight for my ex-friend’s throat I’d go!

But my friend, I do beseech you:

Do as I teach you—

Not as I do!

Alexander V Demidov

28 December 1988