Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Old Man

Image by Glenn Buttkus


Old Man

Who belongs to that face in the mirror
with the fat humidity bubbles
running through his reflection;
my father, whom I never met
but still may favor;
my grandfather, whom I seemed
to be a joyful clone of;
some graying stranger growing gaunt
with slender white streaks decorating
those black eyebrows of yesterday,
that last dominion before mister silver
banishes every evidence of ebony
on my hirsute second suit;
an actor who abandoned the stage
in order to teach the blind;
a movie star that no one recognizes;
a poet who happily embraces obscurity;
a hiker whose sad legs will no longer
allow him to climb in the Cascades?

Yes, all of them,
and several more
who will soon appear before me
in that wicked glass
on those steamy mornings
not yet dawned.

Glenn Buttkus October 2010

Listed as #22 over on Magpie Tales 37

19 comments:

Kathe W. said...

ah yes- I look in the miror and say "Mom?"
Well done- I enjoyed reading your post.

Unknown said...

you're a great bunch of guys :)

Reflections said...

Sounds like a great group of guys... which one will you be today?

Dick Mansfield said...

Hi Glen,
My life is made rich by your poetry. Your obscurity surely not.
Thanks for refreshing my mind with your words and best of all sharing yourself these last personal releases.
I will forward several of your recent works to teacher/jazz friends of mine who loved your poem regarding Dexter Gordon.
Love, Dick

Jinksy said...

And every image a facet of the inner being! LOL :)

Martin said...

Men and mirrors, a recipe for...

I liked this, very much.

Amanda Moore said...

Glenn that glass is wicked but we are what we are! It sounds like you were much to many, this was an excellent read!

Lane Savant said...

A looking - glass hero.

Susannah said...

Very nicely observed. :-)

I enjoyed your Magpie.

My Magpie

Lyn said...

Good to have a choice..I too face the one in the mirror and ask..what's up today? Well done...

Kristen Haskell said...

I look in the mirror and say what the heck happened!

Tess Kincaid said...

I like to think of my forebears looking back at me from the mirror. Nice piece, Glenn.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

wow,
that's excellent questions.
i wonder the same,
you add fuel to my curiosity.
masterful take.
poem on.

Sue J said...

It's nice to acknowledge all the parts of you, not just the 'shopfront'. I enjoyed this very much.

Berowne said...

"...that last dominion before mister silver banishes every evidence of ebony." '
Ah, yes. Been there, done that.

Stafford Ray said...

Love it! You convinced me to grow a beard so I no longer have to shave that old man's face!

Carrie Van Horn said...

Glenn love all the wonderful reflections from your mirror! :-)

Anonymous said...

So much feeling and a very thought-provoking take on the Magpie.

CJ xx

Jannie Funster said...

Yes, it is hard to see ourselves ageing, but our spirits never do, and yours is a fine fine one.

xoxo Jannie