AGING

AGING

I WAS VISITING WITH A SENIOR

WHO REALLY WAS QUITE SPRY

SHE HANDED ME A PILLOW

THE INSCRIPTION STRUCK MY EYE—

‘MY HEARING AID IS WORKING

MY TEETH THEY FIT JUST FINE,

BUT LORD OH LORDY MERCY

I SURELY MISS MY MIND’

IS AGE JUST A NUMBER?

THEY SAY IT DOESN’T COUNT

HOW THEN EXPLAIN THE WRINKLES

OR THE WAY MY WAIST STICKS OUT?

MY WAIST IS NOW WAISTED

I CANNOT HOLD IT IN

AND IF I HEAR ‘PLEASINGLY PLUMP’

I MAY THROW UP AGAIN.

WHAT ABOUT MY DIMMING VISION

OR MY HEARING’S NOT SO GOOD

WHAT ABOUT MY SLOWER JOGGING

AND NOT BREATHING LIKE I SHOULD?

AND WHY MUST I BE TESTED

FOR EVERY KNOWN DISEASE

EVERY TIME I SEE THE DOCTOR

EVERY TIME I MERELY SNEEZE?

DON’T SAY THAT OLD IS BETTER

OR THAT WISDOM COMES WITH AGE

I’VE MET TOO MANY SENILE SENIORS

I DON’T ENVY THEM THEIR RAGE.

AND WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE PILLS

THEY SAY THAT I MUST TAKE

ARE THEY ALL JUST PLACEBOS

OR HAS THERE BEEN SOME MISTAKE?

TELL MARKETERS TO STOP CALLING

ABOUT MY MEDICARE

I’LL DECIDE WHEN I NEED THEM

IF I NEED THEM ANYWHERE

DON’T MENTION RETIRING

OR VESTED PENSION FUNDS

I WANT TO KEEP ON WORKING

UNTIL MY RACE IS RUN.

MY BRAIN IS STILL QUITE USEFUL

I DON’T FORGET MOST FACTS

UNTIL IT GOES OFF THE BOIL

I WON’T GIVE MY CONTRACT BACK.

BESIDES, JUST AS IT HAPPENS

I HAVE ETERNAL LIFE

I DON’T KNOW WHY AGING’S NEGATIVE

CAUSING ENDLESS STRIFE

I’M CLOSER NOW TO HEAVEN

THAN WHEN I FIRST BEGAN

AND AGING HAS NOT TAKEN

MY TRUST IN THE GREAT ‘I AM’.

SO STOP ALL THE WORRY

ABOUT MY LIFE AND HEALTH

I ALREADY HAVE THE PRECIOUS THING

MY EVERLASTING WEALTH

BW3  MAY 12, 2021