frailer words
skin, canvas of bruises
red-brown, slow to heal from falls
old age, an inevitable arrival
time, rushing mirror on wheels,
plays your memories on gramaphone
I'm rivered too
sun-parched by your journey
but I must thirst still for life's mysteries
Posted for D'verse Poets - 5th year D'verse celebration - Monday's celebration is a special interview of Brian Miller and the poetry prompt is 44 word post with the word Journey. Please join us for a poetry feast from Monday to Friday, July 18 to 22 as we celebrate 5th year anniversary of D'verse.
I just came back from visiting my folks and I thought a lot about growing old.
This makes me weep. I think of my frail mother when I read this. Beautiful work in this.
ReplyDeleteAlways thirst for life's mystery - it's what keeps us putting one foot in front of the other. Wonderful poem, Grace.
ReplyDeleteOh I just came back from a weekend visiting my mother... she cannot speak properly and sits in a wheelchair... so I'm deeply touched by this... tomorrow we will visit my mother in law.
ReplyDeleteSo much to relate to here...it comes upon us quickly. I spent most of my life caring for the elderly and now, voila!
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful and poignant at the same time. We all thirst for answers to the mysteries of life.. sigh..
ReplyDeleteI like this Grace. The ending is so apt. Lovely writing that reminded me of my own parents, now gone.
ReplyDeleteGosh, this is so moving, reminds me of my grandma.
ReplyDeleteWhat a coincidence; I did the 6 1/2 hour round trip yesterday to spend an hour in the care home with my mum. Your poem has touched a chord. My mum is so frail now she spends all day in an armchair or wheelchair, unable to communicate - this time last year she was dragging me round the corridors introducing me to everyone. Now her hands are like bird claws.
ReplyDeleteJourney of aging
ReplyDeletea sure way for those
who survive life.. noW
lost from emotions
death at
1.. 2.. 3
from social
abuse.. and
neglect..
groWinG
old
can
be oh..
so young too...
as nicely played by
my crippled 94 year old
great aunt who could just
tell her pain to go away with a
a life of spiritual strength
in relative free will..
while i at 47
then.. had
no spirit at
all or Emotions
to speak of even
dark.. to escape
any pain @aLL..
yes.. there
are so many worse
things in life than
physical
aging..
like
a death as living..
young too and
even
@2...
oR A
sUnShine
Ray briGht
heArt @94
no matter
crippled feet
a hEart as
SpiRit
may
never age
and iN fACt
ONlY GrOW..
God.. i'M glad
i have that perspective
as i never ever worry about
aging as i've already been dead in life..
for oh
a thousand
years in a second
even too... as
there is
no time
in life as dead...
so i CELEBRATE
LIKE NO ONE ELSE..
AND
lEArn
my way
FReED..
Perspective..
'JoB'.. FeeLs
better than know..
in form of wiLted
Rose thAt sTilL SinGs..:)
Lovely capture, Grace. It reminds me of my parents.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to the thirst for life. I have moments where I feel it waning but then it resurrects. Love your poem.
ReplyDeleteI thought of my own elderly mother...becoming more frail. These quadrilles are bringing me tears...
ReplyDeleteLoved the image of "mirror on wheels." It seems to sum things up pretty well.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem that as we grow older, that time passes faster, and our memories of times gone by comes to the forefront of our mind. Beautifully written and poignant.
ReplyDeleteWe are all thirsting for life. It's expectation keeps us hanging on a promise of more. Thanks Grace!
ReplyDeleteSo emotive - beautifully crafted and eloquent. I really felt this piece.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you had a visit with your folks, Grace, and you have captured well the poignancy of watching them age while you are still young and vital. How they must have loved seeing you! Loved hearing about Brian's doings at dVerse, I have missed him, as have we all.
ReplyDeleteI worked many years in long term care settings - you've captured this part of life's journey so well.
ReplyDeleteaging, a journey in time captivated so beautifully and poignantly Grace..."I'm rivered too"..an amazing expression..Brian's interview was a lovely celebration on dVerse's five year journey with pleasant memories...
ReplyDeleteI miss Brian ... Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking a lot about aging too - am about to visit my parents soon. I love the way you used 'river' as a verb, and the sharp contrast between that and 'sun parched by your journey'... and yet the thirst for life, for knowing, goes on. Wonderful!
ReplyDeletei reflect upon my own aging being that when my mother passed eight years ago, she being the only parent, i began reflecting from her aging into my own.
ReplyDeletebeautiful artistically nuanced poem in reflection of aging, mi amiga
having long ago faced down my mortality and even longer ago started to break "things" with my skin--the only true notice I have of my own aging, Grace, is I am losing my hearing. i could say it is because I used to listen to overwhelming loud rock & roll, but I know it was the Mozart and Bach. Bwahahahaha
ReplyDelete*meh* We all age, some with great concerns over the effect of the process and others can simply accept that a calendar page does not define them.
with=within
ReplyDeleteI loved the expression "I'm rivered" what a poignant sensation I get from it - your poem is very moving and all too close to home. Bastet
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful. The description of frail hands, skin....so beautifully poignant in writing about our elderly who have seen times we've not. And I especially love this line "plays your memories on gramaphone"
ReplyDeleteLooking for more humans sure do, age sure can suck too
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and heart-breaking. xx
ReplyDeleteSuch a tender look at the journey of aging.
ReplyDeleteLife's mysteries, indeed! The most mysterious of moments were found in my Mom's final days. You have captured that so well.
ReplyDeleteA tender rending. Life's mysteries remain unsolved, no matter how resolved we are to find the answers. Great poem, Grace!
ReplyDeleteA journey we have no choice in taking but only in how we live it (or at least try to). Finding hope and meaning in the elderly years must be a challenge to many. I love "I'm rivered". Watching our parents is perhaps a way to prepare us for our own journey of aging.
ReplyDelete"Thirst still for life's mysteries" - yes, we should lest we grow tired and bored too soon. :-)
ReplyDelete~Imelda
Old age--an inevitable journey! True. "time, rushing mirror on wheels" is an intriguing image!
ReplyDeleteTime just doesn't stop for anyone, right? Your poem touches upon the decline brought by time, but leaves love intact.
ReplyDeletesun-parched by your journey
ReplyDeletebut I must thirst still
for life's mysteries
Growing older but still allowing oneself to venture out to seek life's goodness to spice up living gracefully!
Hank
Great title. It's a journey of choices all the way through, I think.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully reflective poem. "time, rushing mirror on wheels" Several breath-catching moments here. The line reminds me of a post I saw that talked about looking into the mirror first thing in the morning and uttering, "That can't be right!"
ReplyDeleteThanks, Grace, for sharing this poignant perspective on the frailty of aging...and the thirsty choices of younger generation.
ReplyDeleteLovely piece, Grace! :)
ReplyDeleteWe must always thirst for life's mysteries with the hope we will be given sweet sips of life.
ReplyDeleteThis is poignant and beautifully written. I feel sad reading this and yet hopeful. Loss of a loved one is painful but one picks up his life and goes on.
ReplyDelete