This week Mary Ann Moss (Dispatch from LA) (who has a wonderful blog) asked for thoughts from readers who were in their 70s. It reminded me of a poem I wrote over 20 years ago, when I was about 55, and I shared it with Mary Ann. It occurs to me some of you might enjoy it as well. I may not be as spry as I was when I wrote this poem, but inside I feel the very same as I did then. When my mother was in her 70's, she used to look out the window at her neighbor lady, who was in her 50's, and called her "that old lady who lives next door". Maybe age IS relative after all! Thank you for stopping by, and thanks for reading my little rhyme.
GROWING OLDER
It’s wonderful to be older,
And oh, so very wise…
But I observe I have acquired
Some bags beneath my eyes.
My years of diligent labor
Have made me efficient about the house…
But now, when I look in the mirror,
My knees appear to blouse.
After all my years of practice,
I know quite the proper thing to say…
But I note on close inspection,
My hair is turning gray.
Seniority has its privileges
Of travel beneath foreign flags…
But, when I check my silhouette,
I believe my bottom sags.
When youth defers to me,
I think it’s really sweet…
But, along with that, it’s sad to see
My skin’s begun to pleat.
I’m now loaded with self-confidence
When before a group I speak
But, as I leave the podium,
I hear my joints begin to creak.
Yes, aging has its privileges
And all in all they’re not so bad…
But they would really please me
With that youthful body I had.
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LOL you are so right
ReplyDeleteTrue, true, TRUE!!! Every blessed word!!! As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, one of my wishes was to have the body I had when I was younger coupled with the wisdom and Knowledge I have now!!! Hugs, Terri xoxo
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad my English turned out better since I blog, otherwise I could never understand the deeper meaning from your poem Bev.
ReplyDeleteIt is so beautiful and TRUE !
Isn't it also so that the advantage of aging is that nothing NEEDS to be done and ALL may ?
haha, so right!! i´m at the age you were when you wrote this´(54 actually) and i sometimes ask myself "who is that woman in the mirror"?? and isn´t it strange to feel not so different as 20 years ago, but i´m sure my pupils at school see me as an old hag;) well, i better get used to that...;)
ReplyDeleteBev, I love this, it reminds me that life is a series of tradeoffs. In my head I am still the right side of 40 and yet enjoy all of the privileges of 'maturity'. Mmmmmmm ban mirrors is what I say!
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is, Amen! Except I just turned 60. I refuse to go any higher.
ReplyDeleteWonderful poem and so very true! I love this.
ReplyDelete