Sonnet #417

 Old men: no one will love you enough to save you

Even god, himself, reserves his salvation for

the time beyond when all needs fade, your

endless sorrows will have no hero, no true

balm in gilead awaits, just one misery stacked

upon another, as the world sees a wallet with feet

and tries to sell your legs out from under you, beat

them all back alone, if you can, because the deck's stacked

and when you're young you can be forgiven

your mistakes and made whole, and hope for new

shoes to be granted to you, maybe someone stricken

with guilt will give back what they took, the few

with a conscience might turn around and unhand you

but now that you should know better, only you can save you