Age is a Number

This poignant poem is about ageing, and the feelings and emotion relating to it.

AGE IS A NUMBER

At 18, all my faculties were in place
Didn’t worry about time moving on apace
Back then, over 30s were old to me
“Got forever till then, what will be will be

“Forever” soon passed, I’m now growing old
Time flew so fast, new views would unfold
Still feel in my head, like that fun-loving kid
But things blur the feelings, they seem to stay hid

My brain’s still alert, but the body not so
Arthritis has put it on a constant “go slow”
Health problems caused the weight to rise
And the eyesight is going, there’s no surprise.

“They’re laughter lines, really, they are”
You can’t see them if you look from afar
“My hair isn’t grey under all that dye”
OK, well maybe a little white lie

I still have so much to offer, I feel
More than preparing the midday meal
But my aged appearance so often betrays
That I’m still so useful in lots of ways

Assumptions are wrong, I can certainly do
Anything required, as good as you
The brain and the mind make the person “dance”
You just can’t judge someone by only a glance

“Oldies” can still learn new things, don’t you know?
And into the mix we are able to throw
Life experience,which comes in spades
Which will take youngsters a couple of decades!

But I can learn what you know, of that be certain
I’m definitely not at “life’s final curtain”
(That’s if I don’t know most of it all already)
Even if I might have to take it quite steady

I want someone to look behind the vision
And finally come to a sensible decision
That age is a number, and knowledge is key
We can use it profitably, if only they could see

Written by: Carol Masheder, Lancashire