72nd Birthday

[BobBradshaw]

72nd Birthday

Four more years! Four more years!
Who's babbling about re-elections?
Male life expectancy
is down to 76! I’m 72!

I swim at the public pool.
I lift weights. I climb hills.
I run on a treadmill--
everyday--uphill.

Does it help? Or is my death
mentioned in the fine print
of God’s divine plan?
If so, how do I end?

Or all these years
was I merely following
my urges like a river,
the future always the next bend?

My a-fib heart stutters worse
than I did in grammar school.
I’ve got an arthritic hip,
hands spotted like a common starling,

glaucoma in both eyes,
and kidneys counting
their days till they turn in
their resignations.

Sooner or later I fear
slumping like old wallpaper
in my small apartment, the glue
gone out of my spine.

Worse, old friends continue
— from strokes, disease, heart attacks—
to topple over--one by one--
like the dowels

at the Academy of Sciences--
a Foucault pendulum
knocking over the floor’s circle
of pins.

I watch, unable to help
keep them upright,
as years and good health
leach out of me

faster and faster.
I fear I’ve become a tea bag—
with fewer and fewer
resources left.

[FranktheFrank]

I am depressed reading this.
It only gets worse then we die.
Good reflection on the fear of death
or rather the process that leads to death.

[BobBradshaw]

How old are you, Ieuan? I think Billy's my age, maybe a few months older.

[FranktheFrank]

Much older than you, Bob.
I don't recon I have long to go.
I have a new pupil aged 23 in judo
he can't do the exercises I do.

[BobBradshaw]

I admire you for that!

[Michael (MV)]

What a poetic coincidence - and that's no accident - Spirit move me - I was moved to pull this music-video up while visiting the WB -

https://youtu.be/8cR1-UAPPos

and Cheers

Is it your birthday, Bob?


Today, October 7th is the anniversary of Poe's delivery from here to be Eternally with his Annabel Lee, Virginia


Take me There

Michael (MV)

 

 

 
 

[BobBradshaw]

Thanks, Michael. Always good to hear Grand Funk Railroad. My birthday was last month.