Getting Old Gracefully Poem by RIC BASTASA

at 4 a.m.
she wakes up

she is getting older
and cannot sleep that well

she is looking for something
she goes to the kitchen
she comes back to the bedroom
trying to remember
what is it that she is looking for?
she goes to the toilet
and goes back bed again

i am afraid
she will ask me who i am
and why are we together in this bed

i sleep again

it is 6: 43 a.m.
when i wake up to find that the room is empty
the kitchen door open
the light outside is still on
and the gate towards the road is left open like a mouth still waiting for the next
slice of cake

she has changed a lot
she is taking a walk without me

in this house when we eat our breakfast
of oatmeal and banana
no meat, no sugar,

then we take our medicines
two glasses of water

the whole day will be story telling
reminiscing those younger days
looking at those black and white pictures
calling friends

we wonder sometimes if the world soon
like those red riding hood and ali baba stories

shall have a happy ending