Wednesday 10 January 2018

Time passes...


Mind alert, she views her body,
wondering if she’ll see tomorrow
as clock ticks and marches time upon the mantel.

She is ancient, skin dry and wrinkly,
bones old and spindly,
loose flesh clinging as if an afterthought.

Her legs and arms are spindle thin,
thinly layered in parchment skin that 
cracks and sheds, slowly mapping her decline. 
But her legs serve her well.

Although bladder weakened, she unaware
of stale odours scenting, rising from the cushioned chair
on which she sits, hunched and almost day imprisoned. 
She still has time (she thinks) to totter, hand between her legs,
to the commode she hides beneath the stairs. 
Relieved, another battle won! 
(Just a little leak (she thinks), she’ll change her panties later,
delay the effort in the changing.)

She looks at her hands, fingers gnarled, bent,
bowing to disease that wreaks havoc on her tiny body 
(I have shrunk y’know, she’ll say),
these fingers that once knit hats and tiny jumpers
for her little men, her loving lovely little boys. 
Her boys, men now (God love’m) treat her well,
love her like there is no tomorrow,
knowing her tomorrow might never break in morning glory.

She will leave them one day, she knows that,
it forever playing on her mind,
wondering if she’ll see tomorrow
as clock ticks and marches time upon the mantel,
ticking out her slow decline.

Anna :o]

Sumana at Poets United has us writing about the Body and above is my offering.  Cheers for the inspiration Sumana!

Please know, despite being ancient, the words are not of me.  Well, maybe some of them are…

Image:  Courtesy of  Wikimedia Commons

Author:  DanielPenfield

14 comments:

Thotpurge said...

That process of aging.. so painful, so full of hard realisation...you've sketched the picture wonderfully.

Sumana Roy said...

"wondering if she’ll see tomorrow"...There's much life, enthusiasm and curiosity left in the word 'wondering' in spite of a failing body. And the clock appears as a rather sinister character here. Such an amazing poem Anna!

Sherry Blue Sky said...

You have described her so well, I can see her..........a wonderful portrait, Anna.

Buddah Moskowitz said...

This was excellent, and I wrote on a similar theme.
Thanks!

Sanaa Rizvi said...

You have described the process of aging so well here, Anna! Powerfully written.

Susan said...

I enjoyed the circles you create--echoing the beginning in the end and the journey to the commode and back as "her legs serve her well." So does her mind, and she seems a content person despite the melting away of body weight. In a way, this poem put me at ease as it honors her, wet panties and all.

annell4 said...

Such a wonderful poem...a masterpiece for sure!! Thank you Anna

The Bizza said...

You made me aware of how fleeting time can be. What we take for granted, even now, may soon cease to be as time continues to tick away...

Excellent poem.

Namratha said...

Aging and being on the throes of death is so very difficult. You have managed to empathise with one in such a state and given us a glimpse of what thoughts might pass through her in a graphic yet realistic way.

Jae Rose said...

A touching write..you really brought the body to life harsh though time can be

rallentanda said...

Very raw and true. An exercise in truth of what it is like to be old. Well done !

purplepeninportland.com said...

Eloquent description of time and aging. I had to read it twice for the beauty and sadness of the words. Truly outstanding poem.

Jenny Woolf said...

But despite everything she sounds happy and contented.

Audrey Howitt aka Divalounger said...

I find this so touching--my mother-in-law is now 95. She has an indomitable spirit, but her body is failing her---and yet, I would be like her if I could choose--