The Withering Man
©November 23, 1997 by L.S.Johns

The withering man was a friend of mine’,
He was warm and he was mild.
His name was Rodney and he laughed alot.
And together we shared a child,

But Rodney had a secret too,
He hid it from all, it’s true.
I shared his laughed his humor and his bed.
We loved and fought and he fled,

The years went by since he’d gone away.
I’m here for just a short while, he’d say.
I’ve been traveling and seeing the world,
Now I wanted to see our little girl,
But Rodney had a secret.

The weeks went by and Rodney failed,
He was weak and drawn and pale.
He’d seen the world and all it’s ills,
He’d fled to live out his thrills,

And Rodney had a secret,
We took him in so he’d recover,
But the question wasn’t real,
Everybody knew, Rodney wouldn’t heal.

Yes Rodney had a secret,
And he took it to his grave,
We all watch it consume him,
And everybody prayed.

But Rodney had a secret,
It took his life last year,
Rodney was ashamed.
Rodney died without a tear,

But Rodney shared my bed,
And now could I share his fate,
Rodney has a secret,
He admitted it to late.....