Age Eighty

I never imagined I’d reach age eighty

though my grandfather did this and so did my dad

Implications of eighty are many and weighty

Most days I’m happy, the other days I’m sad

One thing that strikes me, I’d have to say

Eighty’s not as old as it used to be

I always though it meant loss and decay

But actually now I feel more and more free

There are things about eighty that most call scary

Like cancer and heart disease and terrible strokes

Also your ears and your nose get more hairy

And the wise guys make jokes about older folks

At eighty you’ve used up a lot of your life

Of course you could also say that of fifty

My life is now quieter, less filled with strife

Though one more decade would also be nifty

I think I’ll make ninety my next life goal

and walk at least ten thousand steps a day

A glass of red wine is the best for the soul

And poems help chase the demons away