Tumblewords

Fractals Photos Poetry Prose Watercolor

Friday, December 28, 2007

Same Age, Another Space



‘Aging gracefully’
predicts the glossy mag’s theme
and through plastic faces
indulgent seniors beam
and brag of lusty trysts
in distant places.

Clad in a tie-dyed floor-length T,
doubling as dress or nightie,
sans sucks, tucks or peels
I wonder who
let the air out of my arms,
brought my thighs to my knees,
and moved my fanny fat to tummy.

An all-day smile is not my way,
sometimes hateful thoughts
spill blithely from my lips.

Aging gracefully?
I’m just darned grateful
to still have my birth day hips.





Fractal created in Fractal Explorer

Sunday Scribblings Prompt: Now and Then

30 comments:

Chris said...

This is charming! I love "who let the air out of my arms." I know aging is inevitable, but I don't have to like it!! Lovely poem, thanks for the read. By the way I love the title of your blog.

Jo said...

clapping, love this, love it

Maree Jones said...

Love it - I tire of reading about the latest plastic surgery, but I wonder exactly what "aging gracefully" means...personally I hope to age disgracefully! Beautiful words and I love the mixture of lightness of words and depth of meaning. Interesting!

Linda Jacobs said...

A very well-crafted poem! I like how the first stanza rhymes so perfectly just like our bodies when we are young. Then as the poem progresses, the rhyme becomes less distinct just like our shapes. In the end we hold our heads up and accept the inevitable as your poem gracefully rhymes again. Very cool!

paisley said...

this was wonderful.. i have a huge problem with aging... gracefully or not.....

Anonymous said...

I loved this post! Aging gracefully. I am learning that from my mom. She is graceful at 70+!

rediscovering

Marcella Paliekara said...

You speak the truth so well. I too am tired of seeing plastic grandmas and people like Caroline Kennedy on the cover of AARP magazine, as if she is a typical subscriber. The media doesn't want to look at the elderly like they really are because they don’t even want to see the youth as they really are.

Q said...

LOL!!!
I too am grateful to still have my "birth hips" although they are wider now. Working on keeping my teeth!
I am so grateful you have kept your sense of humor!
Ageing gracefully means I am very careful. I do not want to fall on the ice or snow.
Love this poem.
Thank you for the laughter and the beauty.
Happy New Year.
Sherry

Giggles said...

Excellent poem, evoking so many different emotions. Love the humor and visuals. I see it all and so true all of it! "Clad in a tie-dyed floor-length T,
doubling as dress or nightie," this pretty much sums up the era! A real chuckle for me!

This is such a clever poem..one of my favorites too!

Hugs Sherrie

lissa said...

Kind of funny but so true and having a sense of humor really helps.

Have a wonderful week.

Granny Smith said...

I relate! I relate! Although I couldn't express it as vividly as you did or with such witty phrases.

Steve said...

Would you fancy sitting with me over a few drinks and having a wee yarn?

Sherry said...

Tumblewords, what an evocative piece ... it speaks of "who" we are and where we are and where we were to how the hell did we get HERE!!! :O

Anonymous said...

I love it.. you have a wonderful way with words!

I often say I've earned every grey hair and wrinkle I have.. you've said it so much better!!

Dee
http://pavinganewroad.wordpress.com/

Anonymous said...

He..he...he! You've got a sense of humor. And good at it!

Self deprecating is always daring and funny. Like the part where the buttock fats has gone.

Well Done!

Anonymous said...

Yay ... love this, smile, smile, smile! Thank YOU!!

Pauline said...

laughing - I recognize those sentiments! I had never planned to go south when I got older but my body has had other ideas - hence my thighs are on my knees too! Great descriptions in this one.

Lucy said...

BOY! Can we all relate to this one! VEry clever Tumble!! Those magazines are ridiculous! haha

a mouthy irish woman? ridiculous! said...

finally, the goddess in floor length tie-dye. i have been blessed with the laughter of your words and so begins my sacred sunday!

love it, Love It, LOVE IT!!!

(((HUGE HUG!!!)))

wendy said...

I want to age honestly...and I don't think it has much to do with outside appearances.

I want to be happy. Change the things i don't like, if I can, and accept the person who lives inside me, no matter the skinned covering.

Very evocative post.

Jodi Peary said...

Saving this post along with my fantasy that I will grow into the beauty of Georgia Okeefe in her
8th decade. Besides, continuing to create through out our lives is a much better remedy for age inspired heart pangs then botox.
thank you!
jodi barone

luzie said...

this is fantastic! truly fantastic. i kept nodding my head as i was reading your words.

Patois42 said...

Kicking and screaming, with my bottom at my knees (hanging down there with my breasts).

A delightful post!

awareness said...

Hilarious! Great poem....I can completely relate.

OK.....here's my story. A couple of years ago, I decided to go to a tanning salon. I had a big reunion coming up and was feeling winter pasty pale. I had never been before, so I asked the women in my office if they had. Turned out 90% of them had! Who knew??

So........they sent me on my way to test it out. Long story on the first attempt (it felt like lying in a coffin......have since brought my favourite music with me)

I came back to the office and told of my impressions, but that I would try again. They were adamant that I be careful not to burn my breasts which had never been tanned before. They went into great detail about how painful it can be etc. I promised them I would be careful.

The next time rolls around.....I'm cognizant of "covering up" only to find out that when I laid down on the tanning bed, my breasts were no where to be found........they were UNDER MY ARMPITS!!

Aging! It's yucky sometimes.....and one just has to laugh about it. :)

Anonymous said...

What an amazing piece!! :D
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Forgetfulone said...

fanny fat to tummy! Too true! I enjoyed your poem, as I usually do. I've finally posted my SS.

Anonymous said...

I loathe the prospect of aging and I have a year yet to hit thirty. I cling tight to my youth for I'm not yet ready to let go and grow up! I enjoyed the "air out of the arms" most.

DJPare said...

I loved this!

Poetry is often lost on me, but I do love anything laced with humor!

Happy new year!

Kristi Tencarre said...

love your poem, especially your last two stanzas. honesty. i like that.

nonizamboni said...

Thanks for this wry and wonderful poem. I can relate especially to the messages we receive ad nauseum about 'how it should be' as we age. The reality is a little different and you nailed it!
Happy new year too.