The Making of Me

One life is all I have.
What will I do with it?

I could make the most of it:
Indulge myself and seek out pleasure,
Take what I want wherever I can get it,
Give nothing out except to my advantage,
Use whoever and whatever,
Every appetite to gratify;
Then, at the end, look back
And revel in the making of ME!

One life is all I have.
What will I do with it?

I could make the best of it:
Deny myself and lay up treasure,
Give all I can to those who truly need it,
Take nothing to another’s disadvantage,
Use myself and all I am,
Others’ real needs to satisfy;
Then, past the end, look back
And marvel at the making of me.

One life, two ways
To spend my days,
When fullness means empty
Or nothing means all,
Where one ends in silence,
The other shouts loud.

One life is all I have.
What will I do with it...?

Copyright © 2009 Desmond Hilary