Monday, October 25, 2010

Old Men

Image by Gae La Rocca


Old Men

I make it a point now
to wave to old men I pass
old men standing in shade
of a yard, maybe
a daughter's place
where now he's just a tenant
trying to understand role reversal.

I raise my forefinger
As I steer country roads or pass
Through tired neighborhoods.
Most return a wave or nod Howdy.
Driving gives you some perspective,
shows you how you might end up.

We allow something
now, especially those of us sitting
on porch swings, those
who never got around to going
somewhere, those
who still feel like something
somehow is missing.

Ken Hada

Posted over on the Writer's Almanac
"Old Men" by Ken Hada from Spare Parts

2 comments:

Jannie Funster said...

This hits me deeply, now that my dad is almost t 74, and I realize he's not the spry young father of 4 little ones anymore. Actually, he is pretty darn spry so what the heck do I know?? :)

xo

And I'm getting the funniest secret words today for you. fried on the last post and muser on this.

xo

Stafford Ray said...

" those
who still feel like something
somehow is missing."
Yes, that is how we all feel sometimes at any age, but really tragic for those with no family.
Thanks Glenn for 'pointing the way'.