"OVER THE HILL"
If it ain't one thing it's
another,
with facts that daily unfold;
of trends that occur which I will
refer
and mostly affecting the old.
Like bending to tie up the laces,
or to trim the toenails down,
but it's not the bending that
hinders,
but the raising back up I've
found.
It's the glaring of light that
follows...
from blood that's draining the
brain,
my eyes come stark with eye-lids
dark,
oh, I dred that bending again!
And it's so easy to long remember
events from decades in stow;
it's because I find we recall all
the time,
but forget things minutes ago!
And there's pain in my back from
raking,
but it's now just starting to
heal;
from massaging and heat I managed
to treat,
now it's pain in my legs I feel.
And my sight grows dimmer and
dimmer,
when in from sun and about;
and the glasses I wear for sun-lit
glare,
I can't see with or without!
And tying a tie is horrendous,
my wife takes on this chore,
and buttons my shirt 'fore going
to church
this lady I truly adore.
With grandkids growing much taller
and lean,
come thoughts so sober and real;
that all these things that living
now brings,
just proves I'm "over the hill"!
But I still cut grass and hedges I
trim,
and change oil in two different
cars,
and I do other deeds like pulling
up weeds,
although I'm "seeing stars".
And I work in my garden with
tiller and hoe,
to find more time to kill;
not bad for a man whose lifetime
span
has put him "over the hill"
there's comfort in knowing the
tough keep going,
although the going is tough;
an adage true that I always knew
would fill my need enough.
I've seen the woes in living long,
I've met the good and bad;
I've been through things that
illness brings,
but I'm still here and I'm glad!
But not only glad but thankful
too,
things could really be worse,
I could even be dead or laid-up in
bed
with having a full-time nurse.
And "over the hill" are just three
words,
you're young as you may feel,
just bear the fain as Christ felt
pain
if you are really ill.
To all my friends, both young and
old,
I bid you all goodwill,
just stay the course and view the
source,
when you get "over the hill!"
~
William E.
Hardison
