When I was young
And saw how much
My father loved our little farm
I formed the wish
To farm there always for my living
Then he died
When I was fifteen
Net worth $29,000
My mom and I soldiered on
For seven years more
Farming just as he had
Until I had completed
Two years law school
(He had read the law and passed the bar)
Then I realized I could not
Raise a family on the farm’s income
And so we rented out
The Farm to our dairy farmer neighbor
Who soon lost all
In bankruptcy
I became a lawyer in 1961
Joined an eight-lawyer firm now grown to 1,100
As associate earning $400 a month
Seemed all the money in the world
At eighty-six I soldier on
Lawyering every day
The last fifteen years as partner with my son
I love the work because clients
People not companies-need our help
And only work keeps me active
I ain’t the lawyer I once was
But when I get a challenging matter
I can be as good a lawyer once
As I ever was — or so I Iike to think