Life's Adventure

"Youth is wasted on the young."
. . . George Bernard Shaw

You the supple and young of limb, you think yourselves
the great adventurers of life, and we
who have known the scourge of years gone by
Now in the winter of our days, with the last leaves
Falling from our branches as the saps runs more slowly.
But I will tell you, you do not know the adventures of age.

You think you travel at the speed of life.. yet
You cannot comprehend the terrible speed of age.
The hands of our clock race wildly ahead
Sweeping time before them in a mad rush
To our ultimate destination, life’s final sign posts
Flashing by at breakneck speed, we breathless.

You, who wonder at each new encounter,
And marvel at that which to you is fresh
Skimming wildly above the surface of life
Cannot comprehend our quickened perception,
As we drink deeply, perhaps one last time
Of all the now familiar beauties of life.

You are lusty in love, yet you have never held a woman
More closely than we hold on to life, it’s slender thread
Seeking always to escape our grasp, tugging
Trying to raise us off the ground and carry us away
And we, bound to hold on with all our might
To hold her close and keep her near.

You cannot compare your joy of each new discovery
Your pride of in the daily battles and conquests
To the constant battle we wage against an enemy
More grotesque than any you can imagine
You see time as eternal, stretching to the horizon
While we cherish each as every moment as our last.

denny

Thanks Denny.I lost an old Friend at 1.30AM. He was a long ago paratrooper in the same place Gramps was.Like an older brother.

and, as each day passes, we find the numbers of those near and dear to us dwindling ever smaller. I am sorry to hear of your loss and nothing that I can say will ever replace that part of your life. But know that I share your grief.

Autumn of Life

Long gone my days of Spring time youth
Warm days that now have long gone past
And Autumn finds me seeking truth
With Winter close at hand at last

For there are shadows on my brow
And furrows mark the passing years
Carved by Natures relentless plow
Prepared to go as Winter nears

I'll count no more my lonely tears
Nor curse my life's ill gotten fate
Forgotten are the lonely years
Preparing now for Heaven's gate.

Fearing not what time may bring
I've made my peace with all that's past
Thus joyously my heart does sing
That I might find true peace at last.

denny

MA, I am sorry for your loss. Cherish the memories of your friend. Luvs

Did you write these? WOnderful. Thanks for sharing.

Damn, MaryAnne, I'm so sorry to hear your friend has passed. No one can understand how we could be brothers but have never met. But we are and were and will be forever and if there is a hereafter I'm sure we'll pitch our tents in tidy rows again and respond to roll call with a curt "here" when our names are called. Give my best to his survivors.

Gramps

I just thought we needed a "diversion" from our normal "political banter". Loree criticizes me, however, because much of what I write has no "Rhyme". Oh well - not everything in life has any rhyme or reason for that matter.

Thanks for reading my thoughts.

d;-)

of course I try not to headline it "to us OLDSTERS OUT THERE"....think that has something to do with it?

Like Jack Benny always said"When you work a room,see who's sitting out there."

Just teasing Loree. We have shared many a poetic thought over the years that i have known her and enjoyed her poetry.

I'm Old

Toe jam and foot fungus
old people smell.
So let's just enjoy life
we're all goin' to Hell

Bunions and foot plasters
Arthritus that hurts.
Buy me some Maalox
and get me some Certs.

I can't do the two-step
I'm lucky to walk.
Bring me my dentures
and we can both talk.

About what we've seen
and all we have done.
I can barely walk
but my mouth can still run

denny

of people and one of them is you...Loree,MaryAnne and Gramps are a few more,Cherokee,Wah,Anna,Arkady,­Boss,steel,wulk...damn...on and on.

We occasionally go through some rough times. But it's the people that make it special.

d;-)

So, you can still hear??? :You didnd't mention hearing aids.

I wrote that one on a "dare". I had commented once to a friend that, given time, you could write a poem about anything. "OK", they said, "how about toe jam and foot fungus".

d;-)

I wrote this some time ago when I too lost a very dear friend.

Death will come to each of us
Is with us now, in shadow
Ever our waiting companion
Tugging gently at our elbow

For each responsive soul has heard
The soft wisperings at twilight time
The flutter of invisible wings
When church bells chime

A new soul ascends to heaven's gate
His conscious stream, with burnished glow
Thus joins the host of honored guests
Departing those dear friends below.

With hidden founts of feeling
Sending tear-mists to our eyes
As the golden sunset slanted
Above our native skies

The breeze so softly blew, it made
No forest leaf to quiver
This bright celestial creature
Has now crossed the endless river

As fades the iris after rain
In April's tearful weather,
Our dear depart friend
And daylight died together.

denny

Don,t know if you read posts off the board or not but thought I would try here. and later tonight. Feel free to email me. Wolf says it is okay. I have a lot of email friends. He doesn't mind the many men friends I have. They are just friends. I don't have many woman friends. You can get my email address from Loree she has it. I would rather talk off the board then on. take care have a good weekend. Anna Cherokee and I email wach other and so does Truett.