Aging

As I get older, the oldest generation keeps getting closer to my age.

And it felt like life.

All soft, but hard in the middle.

Cherished strings of fuzzy events

each a pearl wobbling on fraying line.

And I wept with my heart.

All hard, but soft in the middle.

Knowing the pearls were dropping;

as yours all did by the end.

And it felt like the line

moved faster as it grew shorter.

Days into nights back into mornings

soft, 

and yet so hard.

Reviews

[Inder24]

great work :D . aging is one of the worst nightmare to anyone, especially the females :P . nicely written :D

[Mark]

There was a time when growing old was an honor and elders were automatically respected. Life changes though, and we continue to move on. :) Thanks for reading.

[A. Amos]

I like the way you discuss serious issues in your poetry aging is a deadly one:) thanks for sharing

[Mark]

Thank you for stopping by and commenting :)

[A. Amos]

You're welcome my friend

[Ruth]

You have a unique way of expressing such hon...the elegant surface to your writing provokes the reader into thought, therefore, dissecting the poem deeply. Wonderful x

[Mark]

Thank you dear one. I love your reviews. :)

[Ruth]

My pleasure hon x

[Renée]

Oh Mark..this is simply lovely the way you used the pearls .. lovely work !

[Mark]

Thank you Renee, I'm glad you liked ;)

[Renée]

I definitely do ( :

[jacob erin-cilberto]

really incredible piece, Mark.

I am dealing with the aging of my parents...in their nineties...and the days get shorter and go faster for them...and the memory gets worse and worse...life does certainly get harder, but soft in the middle..

soft...as the pearls drop.

[Mark]

The person I was alluding to in the poem is mostly my father who I watch lose his mental capacity before dying. He lost his 'pearls' slowly at first, then towards the end it was very rapid. He wanted to die, having lost my mother 30 years ago and his second wife just a couple years ago. I guess I didn't mourn him because of that, but I do miss him; and I can't help but notice that I'm next in the generational line now, with the exception of a few uncles and one aunt.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

wow yes, me too...one aunt left...but the next generation...and then we start losing our mental capacity..i am really going to appreciate each day I have it, Mark.

because this is so painful watching two very sharp people losing that...your poem really got to me.

[Justine]

I agree with Frieda, that this is probably one of the best poems I have read in quite a while. Every line is written with perfect word choice, delicate and sincere. I just choked up with "And I wept with my heart.
All hard, but soft in the middle". What more can I say except "stunning"?! Justine

[Mark]

Thank you so much for your kind comments :)

[Frieda P]

One of your best so far Mark, wobbly pearls, such imagery in those lines. Yes, soft but hard on the inside or sometimes the opposite is true. Great read my friend.

100 wobbly pearls

[Mark]

Thank you for reading and for the pearls :)

[Blue Ivory]

I like the contrast between life and your heart. It's really nice. I imagine aging to feel like one of those insecurities that one is in denial of having.

[Mark]

I think at first it feels insecure, but the older we get the less insecure we are really. At some point we realize that we are who we are, and stop caring so much about the parts we don't likeor maybe we just start liking ourselves more? Thanks for reading :)

[Blue Ivory]

I guess I feel this way cuz I tend to be in denial of having any negative feelings about my physical appearance :P

[Coyote Poetry]

I do understand this poem. I see my Grandfather and father face in the mirror. Time is moving too quickly. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[Mark]

thank you my friend for reading and commenting.