Old Age

The world is changing as I age and strange things are going on.

I take more pills than sandwiches. My shoes aren’t fitting on.

The clothes that slipped on easily have turned a different shape

But that may be because I left the dryer on all day.

The side effects of all my pills have changed my looks somewhat

Especially if I take too many water pills from the pot.

One set of pills can make me stick my tongue at passers by

I almost caught one on the mouth when I let my long tongue fly.

There is another pill I hate for loss of hair’s a cause

If taken too many days a year, and I am on year four.

It occurred to me the other day that if I took not one more pill

I could be jumping skipping hopping, pretend I’m in Brazil.

Here’s another side to that coin for as some friend pointed out

I might be in a wheelchair snorting in and out.

My tongue might not be working, my food might not go down,

I might be slobbering and dribbling from one end, till I drown.

I’ve thought things over carefully and thrown all my mirrors out

If I can’t see what I look like, I won’t get such a fright

I’ll get dressed with my eyes shut and hold a little book

Then folk will think I’m studious and not take another look.

Wyn Barratt April 2012.