To Become Old Poem by Gert Strydom

(in answer to S. J. Pretorius)

Some people's lives are past
in the time of old age
where they do sit on the porch
and others do plant

flower after flower in the garden,
do admire the beach, the sun and blue sky
at the South Coast,
while others do fear of what lays on the other side,

do tell their families their last wishes,
in the afternoons just after twelve go to lie down
as if they do alone wait on the Judgement Day
without really knowing

how long they are still going to live,
while other do go on adventures,
do travel on boat journeys overseas
and do still strive after bigger things,

while others do regret the lives that they had,
while some in retirement villages do remember
their children and grandchildren,
do trust them to the care of God

but there are others that do not understand life,
who silently do go through life,
in poverty do live in squatter-camps,
or do rest in a huts a in poverty stricken existence

or do live in shacks behind the houses of their children,
do eat dog-pellets where their children drive brand new cars,
do want to forget their current life,
sometimes do avoid contact with other people

and in the winter of life
their courage has forsaken them
and in this season their times are measured out
but still they do forgive others

while on their love they are waiting in vain
and it's as if the grave
does sneak nearer and nearer on each day
and they do yearn for the eternal night

where they do perish without being responsible for it
and daily they do pray to God.

[Reference: "Oud word" (Becoming old) by S. J. Pretorius.]