Tale of Two Sailors

Two brothers whom their father had abandoned
set out to make their fortunes on the sea.
Though both were able, each must make his chances
and show the world what kind of man he'd be.  

The older brother worked with one objective:
to scale the brass-runged ladder to the stars.
He sacrificed and planned and dedicated
his life to winning, rising bar by bar.

He asked no quarter, offered no excuses,
allowed no obligations but the race.
He made no time for family claims or friendships,
his driving goal to finish in first place.

The younger brother took a different pathway:
he weighed potential gain against the cost.
Although he worked with skill and satisfaction,
he reaped some short-term gains the other lost.

His brother called him weak and unassertive.
"There's just one winner--show me the bottom line!
I'm going to be the best so that my children
won't face a life of poverty like mine."

The younger brother shook his head and answered,
"Time counts more to your children than success;
a man who doesn't enjoy his life is a loser,
so I'll teach my sons to strive for second best."

For years they labored, brother challenging brother,
and one might say, now that the race is run,
that each lived life exactly as he wanted.
But which made admiral?    Actually, neither one.

 

Carol A. Taylor

©March 19, 1999