Grandfather's Last Words Poem by Pen Anthony

Sitting at his feet
I watched the embers of the room's fire
Burn in his teary heavy lidded eyes
Not that it was unusual but that day
It was strange
It was as if the flames consumed him
Wringing life out of the old man.

His face became pale
As it lost all expressions
He shifted his gaze from the fire
To the four of us
Slowly landing on me (his favourite)

We stared into each other's eyes (his dominating)
There was something about his gaze
When he looked at you
You could feel as if he was staring at your soul
You never could hide anything from him

He sighed
A sigh of a life fully lived
He opened his mouth
Inaudible at first
He shifted his gaze to the others

Then once more fixed it on me
He said
You are a man
But the world is full of men
All that the world requires of you
Is for you to become a Better Man.