A little ditty

a little ditty for those over fifty
you think your day will come, when you can relax
sit in a chair and say I don't care
I have my cigar and I will smoke
I might even take a toke
a token of gin
and upon my chin will dribble smoke and dust
a dusting of gray and a bearded trust

a sense of wisdom he must have 
look how cheerful, how grand he sits
upon a slab a throne he has outgrown
for he rises tall against the back
oh, for a better word, I do lack
but respect and gratitude I convey
as the spectators gather and make their way
to ask me the meaning of life
and I will tell them it is full of strife

living is for those with work to do
work hard to make the best of you
learn all that you can how to feed and grow the land
into productive resources to feed the wilderness
the wild things knew
and if you succeed you will have a land of plenty
diversity of cultures in the soil
a diversity of elements in the air
and clean water in which you can drink and swim