This poem was given me by a prisoner in an Australian gaol, where I worked
as a warden for a short time. Notwithstanding the terrible things that some
of these people have done to find themselves in prison, I found some of them
to be the most 'spiritual' people that I have ever met. By this I don't mean
that they are born again Christians under pressure, of guilt.

Comes the Dawn.

After a while you learn the subtle difference
between holding a hand and chaining a soul;
and you learn that love doesn't mean leaning,
and that company doesn't mean security;
and you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts,
and presents aren't promises,
and you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes open,
with the grace of a woman,
not the grief of a child,
and learn to build all your roads on today;
because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans,
and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.

After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much,
so you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul,
instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure
that you really are strong -
and you really do have worth.

And you learn and learn....
.......with every good-bye you learn.

Unfortunately I can't give his name but he thought of himself as
'the Gentleman Bandit'.

Thank you for your web pages.
Ian Birkinhead

Ps. I live in a small town called Lara, near Geelong, Victoria, Australia,
it's a nice part of the world.

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