Last Month

 Given a month to live


Given a month to live

At last he decided to give

What he had kept and hoarded

In a long and miserable life. 


Friends at the bar who never had seen

Him open his wallet to buy any drink 

Now openly marveled at his generosity

As every last one lost their sobriety.  


Money was sent to missions far away,

To causes at home, to widows and orphans

No charity too small no request too tall

After eighty six years he at last found his call. 


Alack and alas the news filtered through 

His doctor mistaken, a bit of confusion  

His medical files confused with Jim Meek

Who died of a sudden only last week. 


It turns out he’ll live another ten years

Perhaps even longer as his drinking gets stronger 

He insists on buying his new friend the doctor

Whatever he chooses be it whiskey or porter.

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