On the street where I walked
held tight by Daddy’s hand
fear brought us to a stop
as I noticed the words of a man
on the sandwich board he wore:
“The world is coming to an end.”
Daddy quickly gleaned
what had stopped me in my tracks.
The weight of concern at such scene
felt in the tension of my hand.
“Is this true?”
I asked the most honest man I knew.
Daddy never missed a beat
as he urged along my feet
glued to the sidewalk by the man’s chant.
Daddy said, “This is nothing new.
Every generation has said the same
since the world began.
It is up to us to make it untrue.
And, we always do.
“When you grow up,” he continued,
There will be a world for you.
People always find a way
to save what they love.
So, just keep on walking
and do what you can do.
And never give up.
The world is too fine
to let a hopeless man define
the future that belongs to you.
Just keep on walking.
Keep on walking.”
He did. And, I do.
annarino writes 