He growled and he mumbled "I'm feeling alright"
When someone asked, "How're you feeling today?"
But you know "old curmudgeon" was just putting on
an act meant to keep you away
Now everyone wondered about old John's past
Imagination bred many a story
But he never offered a hint or a clue
to his life, present, future or history
He'd sit on his porch and raise his hand
in greeting to those who walked by
And some of them wondered "what thoughts does he think?"
as he sits watching Father Time fly
One day all his doors and windows were closed
The rocking chair empty, forlorn
Everyone who walked past missed his upraised hand
The curmudgeon we all knew was gone
We never found out what roads he had walked
or if there were kids or a wife
But some of the folks who took the time to ponder
his passing, knew they'd lost a small piece of life.
