‘A Life Well Lived’ and Other Poetry by Caroline Bardwell

A Life Well Lived

a rondeau

A life well-lived begins and ends
surrounded by the love of friends.
The air breathed in and out each lung
are signals that songs should be sung,
for life’s a blessing God intends

A person who can make amends,
his honor and his name defends,
so that his hat can there be hung –
a life well-lived.

Who strives to save more than he spends
and if he can he freely lends,
who learns his lessons while he’s young
and knows when he should bite his tongue;
with wisdom and with care he tends
a life well-lived.

Porch Swing

I sit here swinging in the breeze
the sun, his light upon my face,
endeavoring to find the ease
with which to start the daily race.

I ponder on this porch my plans
and wonder whether I should stay
a few more moments holding hands
with daughters that just want to play.

As birds chirp brightly at first light
they make me want to find my song
and start to exercise my right
to take the time that comes along.

And make it count, to clear my head,
to live my life, before I’m dead.

Caroline Bardwell is a resident and native of upstate New York. She is a professional geologist, a mother, a woman of faith and a lover of music, art, literature and nature. She has a great appreciation for the structural guidelines and musicality of formal verse.