Happy Birthday John Alexander Richards.

Published on 07 October 2020 10:31 AM

On October 1st, in light of International day of older persons and national day of poetry; AUKL celebrated John Alexander Richards (pictured above) who turned 99 last month and is ready to publish a substantial collection of his poetic work!

John is an active spirit, with a dynamic mind. A Floridian, a diplomat, a retired builder of luxury houses in Jamaica (inc. cantilever swimming pool - he is very proud of that), father of seven, grandfather of ten, great-grandfather of seven. In his youth he was placed 2nd throughout the island in his engineering exams. Before he was eighteen he located property and purchased it in his parent's name - he's had an entrepreneurial spirit, just under resourced. He opens his own email - but now gets someone else to reply. He is a fan of true-crime-dramas and he crafts poetry one of which you can read below for a limited time only!
Happy Birthday John Alexander Richards.

Keep a Check on Your Ledger

Life is short: It matters not how long.

The will to live – it matters not how strong:

That will begins to wane, as the deadline nears……. fraught with fears…..

Leaving you confronting your long past years……. sometimes in tears…..

But, as you watch the ominous dark clouds descending,

Would that you’ll be at peace, as you contemplate the ending.

So mend the fences, build the bridge

Life has you counted as an important ridge

And plan while you can in this daily light

For soon it will be the darkest night

When you will want to see what cannot be……

‘Cause life has dropped its canopy.

What will the people say you leave behind –

A pile of doubts, a string of fear?

Or a noble plunge into the whole affair?

Did you dot the “i”s and cross the “t”s?

Or….. did you just do as you please

By the Ledger of your activities?

For it exists in this very place

Yes, but also in time and space.

And when you are called to be reviewed

Will it prove you blessed, or awful rude?

You may face it with the deepest fear - of scrutiny up there

Or…… are you sure when you appear

That all the entries prove you fair and square?

You could have missed, in selfish bliss,

What you fail to see exists

Or you could have floundered upon a cause

That produced a negative clause.

All will be questioned, all will be checked

To see if the full truths monitored meet with your test.

For, before the JUDGE …… it’s not like here: you have no lawyer there –

None but the one authentic Ledger:

It is your Ledger – it does not fail nor falter.

It is your Report – your vital tender -

For joy and peace and happiness - up yonder.

It is your Record. It tells your story.

Hereafter, it indicts you, or…… gains you utter glory.

Keep a check ……. on your Life’s Ledger!

_______________________________

John A. Richards

My First Poem…….ever - and at age 93!!! Nov 28, 2014