Here’s another almost in the same vein. It was written upon the retirement of one of my coworkers and was read at the party commemorating the event. Although it is personalized, most of what it says is worth repeating here.
Sailors
Some people sail the sea of life
Like little ships awash with strife,
Like vessels stricken with despair,
In spite of weather foul or fair,
While flying frowns like flags of gloom,
As if their course was set for doom.
And quite a few—including me—
Who sail upon this fickle sea,
Have temperaments dependent on
How well our ventures may have gone:
We frown when lashed by failure’s gale;
We smile when fortune’s winds prevail.
​
But then there are those precious few,
Like Julius, who with buoyant view
Meet every wind with jaunty air,
With ready wit and humor rare
To leave folks smiling in their wake,
For nothing more than goodwill’s sake.
​
The good ship Julius sails no more
The tack we sail, this one of chore;
He charts his course on smoother seas
In search of isles of golf and ease
Where breaking par is no mirage;
To him we bid bon voyage!