Living the Aging Life

My soul needs to mourn.

Needs to grieve.

Needs to cry.

My mind needs an answer.

It needs to know:

Why?

Stay out of the choc’late.

Stay out of the nuts.

Stay out of the kitchen.

Don’t eat the cold cuts.

Avoid all the pastas,

linguini, and such.

Nibble on plain food,

but don’t eat too much.

Abandon indulgence.

Abandon the wine.

Throw out the salt shaker.

Some spices are fine.

Don’t buy guacamole.

Don’t buy salty chips.

Don’t let creamy ice cream

get past your closed lips.

Give up all the pleasure

of food that tastes good,

and substitute meals

more like cardboard and wood.

On this brand new diet

you’re sure to lose weight.

It’s built all around

all those foods that you hate.

My candle burns

for all to see.

It burns for you.

It burns for me.

It burns for hope.

It burns for light.

It burns for truth.

It burns for right.

Butterflies and rainbows.

Red geraniums in pots.

Fairy rings and pixie dust.

Pale blue forget-me-nots.

I went to the clinic.

It’s clear to see:

they do not give a whit

about me.

But on one thing,

they sure agree.

I’m a Very Fine

Billable Entity!

My garden gate blew open

in a gust of mid-March wind.

I know the season’s early,

but won’t you please step in?

I hate it more than taxes!

It’s a Giant Pain to me.

Why can’t we just decide the time

and then let that time be?

Sometimes sorrow grabs our heart

and holds us as its own.

And, then, sometimes we feel the love.

And we are not alone.

Let’s sing a quiet lullaby.

Let’s hum a simple song.

Let’s share the gentle, lilting tones

that bring our dreams along.