EVERYONE'S AN AUTHOR - A POEM ON TURNING 80 BY MARGIE MICHAUD

REFERENCE: 

Margie Michaud lives near in Atlantic Beach, Florida, which is near Jacksonville, Florida.  I met her when I was in Jacksonville, and talked about books, giving her a couple of mine, which she said she read with a dictionary.  She had grown up in the Midwest, and was friends with a classmate of mine, Nadine Krogman, of my St. Patrick's Grammar School and Clinton High (Iowa) years.  A delightful lady.  She proves my thesis, "Everyone's An Author."  

WHEN YOU REACH 80

A POEM OF SURVIVAL

MARGIE MICHAUD

© MOTHER’S DAY, SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2014

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU REACH 80

THE PROBLEMS ARE MANY, THE ISSUES ARE WEIGHTY

YOU HAVE INDIGESTION, IT’S COMMON, IN FACT

BUT WHEN YOU GET 80, YOU THINK “HEART ATTACK”

THEN YOU GET ALL UPSET, YOU FEEL THAT YOU’LL BURST

YOU GET SHORT OF BREATH AND YOU THINK THE WORST

YOUR HEART STARTS TO RACE, OR BEAT FLIPPETY-FLOP

AND YOU’LL SURE THAT ANY MINUTE IT’S GOING TO STOP

YOUR PRESSURE GOES UP, YOU FEEL SOMETHING IS BROKE

AND YOU’RE FRIGHTENED TO DEATH THAT YOU’RE HAVING A STROKE

YOU’RE PROBABLY HAVING A PANIC ATTACK

BUT WHEN YOU ARE 80, YOU DON’T THINK LIKE THAT

THERE ARE NO MINOR ISSUES, ONLY FATAL EVENTS

AND A SYMPTOM IGNORED ONLY GETS MORE INTENSE

YOU DON’T HAVE A STOMACH ACHE-SURELY IT’S CANCER

OR SOME NEW DISEASE FOR WHICH THERE’S NO ANSWER

YOUR LEGS ACHE AND SWELL AND SOMETIMES FEEL HOT

IT’S NEVER ARTHRITIS, YOU’RE SURE IT’S A CLOT

IT’S NOT JUST A HEADACHE OR EVEN A MIGRAINE

YOU THINK TO YOURSELF “I HAVE A TUMOR ON MY BRAIN.”

WHEN YOU’RE NOT YOUR OLD SELF, AND YOU’RE TIRED AND WORN

AND YOUR LEGS DON’T WORK RIGHT AND YOUR BALANCE IS GONE

WHEN YOUR EYESIGHT IS FAILING AND YOU NEED A HAND

TO GET OUT OF A CHAIR, OR THE CAR, OR JUST STAND, YOU’RE 80

FORGET “LIFETIME GUARANTEE” OR “LONG LASTING,” TOO

THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO LONG OUTLAST YOU

YOU DON’T RENEW SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR MORE THAN A YEAR

WHOSE GONNA READ THAT STUFF WHEN YOU’RE NOT HERE

YOU REALIZE YOU’RE 80 AND TIME MARCHES ON

THE 23” WAIST HAS LONG SINCE BEEN GONE

AND REPLACED WITH FLAB AND SAGGING SKIN

AND YOU’RE NOT REALLY PROUD OF THE SHAPE THAT YOU’RE IN, BUT YOU’RE 80

YOU KNOW IN YOUR HEART THAT THE BEST DAYS ARE PAST

AND YOUR FRIENDS ARE NOW GONE AND YOU ARE THE LAST

OF YOUR GROUP TO HANG ON AND SURVIVE, BUT

HEY, I THANK GOD THAT I STILL AM ALIVE – AT 80