On Aging Not So Gracefully
Illustrating my feelings poetically
Never mind the body aches
The struggle to hear and see
Never mind the jiggle in the walk
Or the croaking when I talk
I want my body back to twenty
Regardless of the crack of knees
My sedentary state,|
Or the hair thinning without fail
I want to walk, dance, and swim
Get in shape, and shake my tail
I want to feel the energy
I had just a decade ago
Instead of mornings only
And nights I feel so slow
My mind says I can party
And rock the night away
My body has a different plan
Keeping my dreams at bay
I try so hard, I really do
Eating mostly the good
But lately, I desire treats
And yummy comfort food
The surgeries from my past
Remind me every day
I’m not as young as I once was
No longer can I play
The daily pills and supplements
I take to battle aging
Can only do so much for me
In this war I’m waging
The virus I have kept away
Yet friends still stay at home
I’m bored and restless lately
I want to go and roam
Depression and anxiety
Threaten my sense of self
Yet I still fight the demons
Not ready for the rocking chair
Or to be put on a shelf
My writing helps to keep me sane
Helping others does as well
Anything to keep busy
And save me from this hell
Nevermind the creaky neck
Or shoulder pain that screams
I want to dive from airplanes
I have such lofty dreams!
My body is getting flabby
From lack of exercise
Yet I refuse to give in yet
A wheelchair I despise!
I need a knee, or maybe two
Thank God my mind still works
I guess a slow dance is my jam
I’ll never do the twerks
So for those of you
Dealing with the sixties blues
Like me, you have to fight
The boredom every night
The endless inane tv-shows
The struggle to stay fit
Don’t you dare give in to it
Please don’t ever quit!
Find yourself a place of calm
A writing community
Or journal if you feel the need
To keep your sanity
Volunteer or help a friend
Spend time with family
Take a drive and see something
Get out, you’ll feel so free
Resist the urge to stay cooped up
Move that old body
Get in a pool and swing your legs
If you have that luxury
Don’t sit and veg your life away
We must keep moving on
Or soon we’ll stiffen up and say
Too bad, my life is gone.
I will keep moving, trying, coping
I won’t give up, you’ll see
I must do everything I can
To age more gracefully
I may not garden, or walk for miles
The way I used to do
Yet if you’ll follow as I write
I’ll try to entertain you!
If you want to read more from me, try some of my other work: