Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Growing Old on the Way To Dying
By Don Iannone

I watch her--
sitting quietly in her front porch swing.
Her breathing is labored,
and her hands tremble,
as they hold onto what life remains.
By my account,
the old woman is pushing ninety.
She looks remarkably peaceful.
Her thinning hair, snowy white,
blows in the breeze.
The old woman savors each moment--
as though each may be her last.
I think...she is living in the moment.
Makes me wonder...am I?

On the way to dying,
we grow old,
and we give back large parts of ourselves
to the well from whence we came.
It's the same well for all of us--
that we come from and return to.
Getting old isn't easy,
especially as our bodies slow
and our minds forget
at times where they are.
Then again, where can our minds be
but right here in the now?
On the way to dying,
we grow old,
and then,
we grow young all over again.

19 comments:

Bob said...

I like the way you vary your subjects. Old age is an important topic too.
:)

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Rob...yes it is an important issue.

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

Something we all have to fase, I guess. Then again, there are so many people that never see old age.

serenity said...

Don,
What a beautiful poem full of such truth. May we learn to savor each moment as if it were our last every single day, and may we honor and love those whose journey is ahead of us as we look into the mirror of our own future.

Thank you, Don, for your words. They are a gift, a blessing, a treasure.

Margie said...

Beautiful poem Don!

dumbdodi said...

Dear Don
As Rob said Old age is an important topic. Old people who inspite of seeming so lost potray in many ways what great time in life they must have had.
Real Beauty Don

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thank you Andrew, Margie, Serenity, and Dumbdodi. This one was triggered by a wonderful elderly lady that I observed.

Dan said...

Beautiful!

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Dan.

polona said...

don, this is a beautiful tribute to the old age, and a reminder to all of us to savour each moment. thank you.

QUASAR9 said...

Booking a flight to Atlantis, huh?

This ain't like catching a plane to Atlanta unless you've got Dr Who's Tardiss. lol!

Romeo Morningwood said...

That was a graceful bit of bon voyagerism.

It is so annoying that we finally start figuring it out just before closing time.

Mike said...

Nice piece, Don. Viewing the elderly is such a great reminder of how much we ignore the present. We think that nothing will ever change, but it will. We take it for granted. Thanks for this!

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Quasar, Mike, Homo Escapeons, and Polona.

Mike...yes, we do take "it" for granted.

Quasar..."Transworld Airlines" has a flight to Atlantis...leaves every hour.

Polona...Savour we do. Nice new picture! You?

polona said...

yes, don, it's me, and i think you got the age right (am not sure about it myself) :)

Anonymous said...

Savoring life is essential.
Reminds me of recent friends I've made- the wisdom and reflection is refreshing.
That ending zapped me. Terrific!

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Silvermoon. Endings should zap us...

Natalia L. Rudychev said...

Beautiful poem. It speaks in depth about life and death. A wonderful reminder to treasure every waking moment.

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Natalia. Treasure life we should, but without clinging. For it is a gift on loan to each of us for only so long.

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