A proud Army veteran, whose injury claimed,
the use of his legs, yet his heart still remained.
Sam was the last on my newspaper route.
He always was explaining, “What life’s all about.”
I was barely fourteen and a little naïve.
Things he would tell me were hard to conceive.
I would see him there waiting, hoping to talk.
At times I saw tears as he wished he could walk.
He’d tell me, “Life offers you no guarantees.”
He was always polite, thank you and please.
He loved to tell stories. There was always “One more.”
He’d patiently wait just inside of his door.
“Life is a matter of inches,” he’d say.
“An inch to the left, I’d be standing today.
On the other hand, son, an inch to the right,
and I would have met my maker that night.”
A hundred times over, he asked me it seems,
if I could explain and envision my dreams.
“Things can change quickly, you must understand.
Life doesn’t always turn out like you planned.”
Then came that day, I heard sirens blare.
I ran to the door, but Sam wasn’t there.
“He’d fallen,” I heard one paramedic say,
“His phone was laying just inches away.”
A week passed by, then a note from his wife,
thanked me for bringing such joy to his life.
“He cherished each day, the time that you took.
He wrote you a message inside of this book.”
The old tattered Bible, Sam kept in his chair,
“Rejoice my young friend. I am walking on air!
I leave you this treasure, I expect you to read.
An inch of God’s Word is all you will need.”
Author notes
This is a true story. Sam is now walking on air!
In a list
- Spiritual Story Poems • next in list
- People Stories • next in list
- True Stories • next in list
- Gold Medal Winners • next in list
A contest entry
- Just a walkin the ..... by Cup-a-Joe.
650 points, ended December 12, 2008, 15 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - My Welcome Back by Amorous Arms.
750 points, ended December 15, 2008, 59 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Portrait Poetry - Male by Polaja.
1750 points, ended December 16, 2008, 9 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Gold rhymed poems only. by ecrivain01.
550 points, ended February 11, 43 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Faith Reborn by Gentle Lion.
1000 points, ended February 15, 26 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Make this THE largest Contest EVER on AP [enter, enter, enter!] by Symphony.
18000 points, ended April 28, 1014 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 11 of 11
-
wow! i ahve no words to express my how I feel at reading this. This was beautiful! 'Nuf said!
-
Wow ... This was very inspirational - almost brought tears to my eyes - I'm not sure what else to say, and not sure if this could BE critiqued ... HOw very moving ....
Thanks for entering. -
Thank you for entering my contest with this poem
I definitely had tears in my eyes as I was reading this - such a lovely rememberance of someone that touched your life
Keep writing
Polly
-
-
thanks
yes, Sam made quite an impression on me. thanks for allowing me to share - Kevin
-
-
Sam taught you a lot!
And it seems is still teaching lessons, ha ha. What a wonderful story and moral...........I love how you bring alive the people and inspirations in your life through poetry. What a wonderful tribute and honor to Sam. I bet he is jumping on air!
A blessing you are with your gifts and heart!
Castaway
-
-
thanks
I like writing stories about people I know, or have met (or even make up) - I appreciate your comments - Kevin
-
-
ah honey, you have this southern woman crying all over her key board. May we all walk and run with Sam someday . Too bad he had to find people to talk to him that is what hurts my heart. You write so well.
God bless our Vets we would speaking everything but English except for them.
-
-
tears, huh?
what better compliment for a writer than to have touched someone's emotions... thank you very much - Kevin
-
-
So beautiful, it really hit me in the heart and soul. How Sam would chuckle if he could read this, or maybe he already has. Wonderful write with so much impact as it is a real story. Extremely well done. Sheila
-
-
Thanks
you are right, he would chuckle... I can hear him now. Glad you enjoyed this - Kevin
-
-
Very Good, Thanks for entering
Joe
Adding your comment:
1 - 11 of 11
