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The Golden Years Aren't Golden

There are those who sayIt's cool to be oldBut, I've never heardIts virtues extolled From all I hear and seeAging is nothingBut misery Based on what I hearFrom my dadThe golden yearsAre the worst he's ever had From the pain in his assTo the stenosis in his backHe lists so many painsThat even he's lost track He says to himselfNow let me seeIs today a doctor's appointmentOr, physical therapy? You're a lucky manIf you think it's cool to be oldFor most the golden yearsAre anything but gold

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Mark

Mark

17 years 10 months ago

MIchael !

Had to laugh at that fourth stanza. This is a perfect poem for me and it reminds me of my dad. Although he maintains a marvelous attitude an is quite sane he is falling appart physically quickly and that certainly does not amount to anything qold IMO either. He is 81 this year so what to expect huh? Thank Michael, Mark
M

Michael Landau

17 years 10 months ago

Thanks Mark!

I'm glad you like it. I thought maybe there would be a few people who could relate to this one. Michael
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barbsdad2003

17 years 10 months ago

An impressive write here ...

that warrants five stars. If I may comment on content this way: I grant that but few good models exist in these United States for growing old. The ones who get it right (or maybe I should say "righter/rightest") come scarce ... and there're few ... and way too far between the more representative examples. Incidentally, I do not subscribe to the popular (even by doctors) notion that it's practically all about genetics. It's really not about anything in particular, but if, arguendo, it is all about anything, it's gotta be environment---and, of course, those effectively compensating behaviors that are so pretty much available to each and every one of us within those environs. I think I'm proof positive of that. Thanx for such a wonderfully sculpted piece. My hat's off my desertlike, starkly bald head. You know, the one with the white-haired fringes. The one in the crowd who's the first to know it's raining. You know. That one. Yours, Chuck
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Michael Landau

17 years 10 months ago

Thank you very much for your comment !

As I'm sure you realize, your poem was part of my inspiration for this one. In some sense, you could say that this poem is a response to your poem. Your poetics skills are an inspiration to me, and I'm sure they will continue to be so in the future. Sincerely, Michael
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poewriter58

17 years 9 months ago

Michael

This was funny yet serious There are days when the golden age is tarnished but for the most part I just go on I'm enjoying them more then ever. Again I would let this stand on it's own merits good piece of wrting Chrys
Janice Pearce

Janice Pearce

17 years 9 months ago

Michael

Me thinks there are more of us on this site that can relate to this, than are willing to admit. Really enoyed this one!