It’s not a very inviting theme
But I still dare to have a look,
Given the time that I’ve been around
I guess I’m listed in this book.
Seventy years the Psalmist said
And if by reason of strength, four score,
From this we must conclude
At least, seventy unlocks this door.
But this was in the Psalmist’s time
And maybe it’s different today
Hence my question, when does old come?
What do you have to say?
“You are as old as you feel,”
I have heard some of the old ones say
And others, “Age is just a number”
And you can tell by their way.
These advocates dress up young
And they behave like they are young
Even though their contemporaries
Oft look at them with a frown.
“Why don’t they act their age?”
“Boy, they are really desperate though,”
“Why don’t they behave before the young
And a better example show?”
So, when does old age begin?
Tell me, I would really like to know,
Is it at fifty or sixty or seventy
Or only when it begins to show?
Then it might be as early as forty
But we can’t go any further back,
Remember, impressions are only feelings
And they should not count as facts.
I must admit that I feel good
Though I’ve reached three score and ten
But if you ask when last I swam
I cannot tell you when.
I ride a little bit and I walk
Though not nearly as much as before
And the aches and pains remind me
To take it easy as I go.
No more St. Lucy treks for me
Or even the Grantley Adams Airport,
Back in the day I could easily do it
And for me then it was sport.
So, if I were to answer this question:
When does old age come,
Honestly, I would definitely have to say,
My youth is certainly done.
And it has been for a while,
For sure since I went into retirement
And I will not wine and lament-
At my age I am content.
I may not have answered it for you
And in a sense, I am extremely glad,
Pretend for as long as you can if you can
But old age is not all bad.
I get to be own-way a bit
And they wait on me hand and foot
And often they don’t know that I know
Some things I deliberately overlook.
Sometimes they say I have lost it
And sometimes they are absolutely right
But often, I can tell you they don’t know
It was a purposeful oversight.
I get to keep them guessing,
“Is he serious or is he joking?”
You see, in my old age show I am starring
And they are merely participating.
I issue the scripts and the parts,
They subjectively follow my lead
And given the fact that I am in charge
I determine their speed.
Check the old age book
And for sure you will find my name,
Old age has caught up with me
But thank God I am still sane.
Stewart Russell © May 26, 2023
