O Lucky Man

O Lucky Man

My life has been a charmed existence

Dodging all the bullets of life

Nothing has badly gone wrong

No worries, no gut-wrenching strife

 

Clever enough to go to Grammar School & University

Born with brains enough to get through

Whilst there were still grants – no student debt

It was simple enough to remain true

 

Born after rationing, and National Service

In an age of medical break-throughs & vaccines

And the wonderful National Health Service

Even being ill was always within my means

 

But I never was ill, no accidents befell me

No condition, no cancer, never diseased

Born whole-limbed, not disabled, but intact

Able to live my life just as I pleased

 

Been no conflicts, so never got conscripted

Lived in a country with safety & the rule of the law

Where no hunger, or disease ever stalked the land

No floods, tornadoes, droughts, not even a war

 

No trouble getting married or having children

All born bright and perfectly healthy

Plenty of friends and family around

Earned enough money, but not wealthy

 

Good job, with lots of promotions & responsibilities

A gold-plated pension in a well-paid career

Worldwide assignments, saw the world travelling

Always comfortable, never felt fear

 

Well-off enough to retire earlier than most

Happy enough with how things worked out

Plenty of hobbies to fill up the time

Future never really in doubt

 

The planet’s not fallen apart quite yet

But it’s almost ready to throw in the hat

It’ll all come off the rails after I’m gone

But I’ll even be spared witnessing that

 

The Universe has been kindly to me

And dealt me good cards, a good hand

I don’t know what I did to deserve this

But it seems I’ve been a very lucky man

Copyright Andy Fawthrop 2021