Living Is All That Does Matter To Fred Poem by Francis Duggan

All he has are the memories of what used to be
Of when he was in his prime going back half of a century
When wherever he shore he was top shearer of the shearing shed
A man amongst shearers the sun bronzed shearer Fred
Though he is one without children or never has had a wife
A lot of women have come to and gone from his life
In his early eighties he lives on his own
Gray haired with age wrinkles better days he has known
Yet in the pub on Saturday evening he makes merry and is in the mood for song
And with the pub singers he does sing along
He always seems happy and he never complain
And the great love of life in him does remain
No children or wife to grieve by his death bed
But living is all that does matter to Fred.