An old man is an archive,
holding records of past history.
They are kept alive and survive
in his memory.
There to share with you and me,
in his wondrous library.
``
In this depository of his mind,
treasures abound you will find.
And in \'the flames of death\';
when an old man dies,
a library burns down.
``
Within these waning embers
the cost,
if not passed on.
These records of wisdom,
are forever lost.
Once an old man, is gone~
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