You look at me as though I don’t belong in your society

Yet, I’ve lived an aging life that gives me my credibility

My wrinkles and greying top are now my dependability

It’s the reason you call upon me in your times of inability

You say I’m too restricting which impedes your personality

I say I’m educating you on life and your existing frailties

Something you will thank me for when you reach your 20’s

So ‘till then, I’ll protect you against the dangers in society

Waging war is futile, so stop and rest beneath a shady tree

Conserve your energy ‘cause life is not that easy you’ll see

You’ll need friends and family when your life is all at sea

You think I’m being paranoid so just trust me and believe

Keep your eyes alert and focused and forget about your feet

Always look around you there are often dangers on the street

When you meet new people say hello and always be discreet

Accept that you and friends will disagree – that’s bittersweet

You look at me as though I’m prehistoric and irrelevant

Yet I’ve lived a 1000 lifetimes so I wasn’t always innocent

My face reveals an air of wisdom learnt from life’s events

So learn from my mistakes and go and live without regret

Copyright © - Steve G 2013