FOR FUTURE PRAISE OF THOSE WE DON'T KNOW

                " FOR FUTURE PRAISE OF MEN WE DON'T KNOW
                 AND ACCOLADES WE SHALL NEVER SEE"
                  



        IF ONE DEDICATES LIFE TO THE HIGHER PURSUITS
       BY THAT I MEAN THE ARTS AND LETTERS
       BUT FOR THOSE TO THE MANOR BORN
      HE WON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH LIFE'S FETTERS

      BUT THE REST OF US MUST TOIL AWAY
      FOR IT IS THE LOVE OF THE ART THAT WE SEE
      WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A SECOND GLANCE
     TOILING TOILING OBSCURELY, SELDOM A CHANCE TO BE

      BUT PASSION FOR WORDS IS A LIFE ALL ITS OWN
      WHETHER WE BE WEALTHY OR OR DOWNTRODDEN
      FOR OUR PATH WAS CHOSEN FOR US LONG AGO
      AND WE MUST FOLLOW THE ROAD HOWEVER SODDEN

      SO I WORK ALONE AND WITHOUT FARE
      A FOOL TO MOST NOW TURNING GRAY
      BUT I SHALL KNOW WHEN THE TRUMPETS SOUND
      I SAID WHAT I HAD TO SAY

      A LIFE DEDICATED TO LETTERS
     WHAT A WONDERFUL LIFE IT CAN BE
     AND CERTAINLY FAME AND REWARD CAN COME YOUR WAY
     UNFORTUNATELY, THESE ARE GIVEN POSTHUMOUSLY.

J BRADY THOMAS  2/8/2014 8 AM