ravages of time----One Single Impression

squinting his eyes, he looked towards light
none forthcoming, he was lost in bygone eras
one after one, he had taken on so much
lost in the war, lost to disease, ravages of time
had bled him of everything he possessed,
his children taken away, gone forever.

his ear heard the sound before he could see,
she threw herself in his arms, crying bitterly.
his gnarled fingers gently touched,
soothing the weeping child. she snuggled
into his chest, secure in his love,
the grandchild who had survived.

"holding her to his heart, pulling the rug over her-
his thoughts were, had he really lost all?"