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

[Leslie Philibert]

Fine poem, filled with excellent imagery. the pearl triplet is especially good...

[Mark]

thank you so much Leslie

[John Alexander McFadyen]

The fifth stanza nailed this poem for me. That feeling of life just accelerating as you plummet to the Earth. Excellent tone and phrasing in such short verse to capture the feeling and regret of ageing Mark.

[Mark]

ya, the less time we have left the faster it departs! thanks John :)

[redflutterby]

Sad words filled with truth that made my eyes fill with tears... :'-(

[Mark]

well, I'm glad I evoked emotion with this poem, but sorry it was sadness. THank you for reading :)

[redflutterby]

Thats okay Mark...sort if my current emotion regardless. Youre welcome.

[icelandicblue]

I love your imagery of the pearls dropping and the lines about the line moved faster as it got shorter couldn't be more true. You certainly begin to understand when people say, "Where did the time go?"

And I wept with my heart.
All hard, but soft in the middle.

That is so lovely, our string is frayed, the pearls are dropping we've been hardened by life and experience and we are ever so soft in the middle. This is a wonderful piece of poetry.

[Mark]

Thank you dear heart :)

[Pryde Foltz]

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.

Do beautiful and so insightful.

[Mark]

Thank you dear one :)

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

Well thankfully I'm Irish and gay - we don't age!

[Mark]

lol thanks for reading :)

[Jack...]

Yep, this is it exactly. I saw a photo of myself the other day and asked, how did that old guy get in my clothes? Very well penned Mark.

[Mark]

THanks much Jack :)