Trying to Age Gracefully

My year-long odyssey into the various styles of poetry has taught me many lessons about myself. I enjoy getting lost in the world of rhyming words. There still isn’t one style of poetry I would choose as my favorite to write in. July is the perfect month to create a selection of free verse poems. This style of poetry has no rules, which I find liberating. They don’t have to rhythm, but I suspect mine will rhythm because that is how I roll. One of the poems I plan to share during this month of free verse is Trying to Age Gracefully.

Trying to Age Gracefully

I’m 65-year-old women

I don’t feel old, but I sure do look it.

My hair is more silver than black

I‘m a couple of pounds heavier

(I admit maybe more than a couple pounds)

Gravity has worked its magic,

My face has dropped into a perpetual frown.

Nobody takes me seriously anymore

Not that they ever did before.

I’m no spring chicken

Old enough to remember

Things best left forgotten.

The Woodstock generation once claimed

You should never

Trust anyone over 30

And my husband says,

Like the Miss Clairol commercial,

“You’re not getting older

You’re getting better.”

He argues I’m

Like a classic car

Perfected with age

With a lot of miles left

On my engine

With a little wear and tear

On my undercarriage.

My goal

Is to age gracefully

Until they put me in the garage.

Who is Molly Shea?

Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh.  To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.

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