Cradle To Grave Poem by Andrew Whittaker

Did you not ever try to break for freedom
When getting caught up in that tangle of life
Or did you just face your duty head on
And not question the purpose of that early strife

It wasn’t in your nature to lie down and play dead
So you dragged us kids up the best way you could
Never once stopping to ask if you should
Making sure we were fed, clothed and morally taught

Did you ever look back and wish you’d had the courage
To break free and live for just ‘me’?
Or wish you’d had the conviction in life
To fight for what you believed? What did you believe?

Was it,
Duty to those around you?
Duty to those who cared?
Duty to those who depended on you?
Duty to those who loved and shared?
Duty to your country, or another by origin of birth?
Duty to the environment?
It’s by duty that we’re all cursed!

So nature or nurture, what happened to you?
Did nature come first from your mothers womb?
Or her nurture take hold as she went to the tomb?
Every day I ask that of me about you.

But what nature teaches cannot be taught
And what nurture teaches cannot be brought
So when duty comes calling, look at it two ways
Could duty be love and love be the saviour?

Nurture is the conflict of giving and greed
Nature is natural and natural is need
In these terms I say once again
That nurture is loving and nature is gain

So it’s,
Love for those around you
Love for those who care
Love for those who depend on you
Love for those who love back and share
Love for your country, or another by origin of birth
Love for your environment
It’s through love that, in the end, we’re all hurt


9th January 2003