Gurney Poem

Mostly, life is hard
Means social life’s hard,
Working with people,
Finding work, paying
Debts, safety, shelter—

There’s nothing easy
That wasn’t made so
By allies or kin,
And they’re not always
So easy themselves,

But it is easy
To forget life’s hard
In bare living sense—
Old age will teach you;
Disability

Can give you lessons.
Sitting up, breathing,
Moving the body
Through the viscous world—
These are difficult.

They don’t get easy.
Sooner or later
They become harder.
When life is easy,
Be glad for your ease.