An old man sits 
On a park bench 
With a big bright 
Bouquet 
Of sunflowers,
And the sun 
Is shining 
Through the treetops
And the children 
Play on the nearby 
Swings and seesaws.

He observes 
The cotton-like
Clouds slowly float 
By in the blue sky,
And he sees 
Shapes of
Animals,birds, 
Faces from the past 
And long forgotten 
Childhood dreams 
Form in the clouds.

He runs his 
Gnarled hand 
Through his white hair
And closes his eyelids,
And breathes in the fresh 
Air filled with the scent 
Of eucalyptus, pine and herbs,
And a gentle breeze cools his skin,
And he is waiting for his love.

His heart is filled 
With the innocence
Of a child and considers 
That this must be 
One of the benefits of old age;
That the ego becomes redundant
And in the face of impending death
Everything becomes clear and real,
Shedding the illusions of his 
Younger years.

He sees her 
Walking towards
Him from a distance 
To meet for their 
Rendezvous,
And his heart swells 
With joy that he is still
Alive and able to feel 
This love.

He comes to the realisation 
That wealth for him
Are his memories 
And the experience of love:
That he never once sat 
On the fence in indecision,
That he was authentic, 
And for good or bad
Chose and experienced 
Life to the full.

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With a digital painting from Nikos Laios

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Don't miss Nikos Laios eBook
The Silent Symphony
A collection of poems and paintings,
you can download for FREE, HERE!

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Also check Nikos Laios' EBOOK
Ida & Her Magic Camera
is online now and you can download for FREE HERE!