Symptoms Of Old Age Poem by shimon weinroth

don't come, all at once,
creep up from behind,
joints tend to breath and yawn
muscles ache at dawn,

on awakening, clouds of haze,
bear shades of daze,
streaching out limbs shout,
beware, of sudden motion,

breathing no longer free and easy
gasps and whistles, whispers tones of weary
the eyes tell a different story,
shining, though not as loud as before,

ring the bell of glad to be,
singing I am here and glad to stay,
alas terms of duration
have changed, gears have slowed,

priorties replaced,
tempered and perhaps wiser
doesn't mean I have to like it,
nor accept without a struggle,

confrontations are not met head on
I simply try to go around them,
exercise because I have to,
take the vitamins because I need to

swallow pills and more pills,
drugging the weary systems,
into believing this is best for them
the same emotions, still sit on my shoulder

filling my gut, have simmered down,
it is not lethargy, or surrender
that quides, the psyche, seeks comfort,
my dreams are tempered by the frame of mind

compromise, forgive and forget