When

When
by cricketjeff on November 30, 2007.  © Jeff Green, All rights reserved
When all men are against you,
Yet you know that you are right
When you know that they dismiss you
Yet you stand your ground and fight

When you’re steady as supporter
But don’t take all on trust
If you are honest as reporter
And you say the things you must

When all your dreams are broken
And they now cannot come true
When you’ve heard the libels spoken
And know they’re aimed at you

When all that you’ve created
Is taken and misused
When all the truths you’ve stated
Lie broken and abused

When you take a chance and lose it all
And never blame another
When you meet the man who caused your fall
And treat him like a brother

When you give your love completely
And you see it tossed away
When you murmur most discretely
And politely look away

When you don’t give ground to rotten fools
Or bow before a star
When you build your life with honest tools
When you know the man you are

When all these things are in you
When you stand to face the world
When you show all men what you can do
And your banner is unfurled

When all men are glad they’ve found you
Then you know the battle’s won
When peace and love surround you
You are a man, my son