The Waning Years

Uncle Ben

The waning years left me lost tears

for brethren I have loved so long

Remember days of childish ways

 taste of life was sweet as a song

 

Winds that blew, as they always do

from youth I saw in my mirror

A pale gray face, lie in its place

 old folly of years grows clearer

 

I laughed and played, as youth had stayed

duty could wait, while time was free

Time was my friend, though in the end

pain overcame what life left me

 

Author's Note

So often is this truth that we all dread the knock of the door.
For life's time waits on none of us
it masters fate with earnest callous
Caring for none in favored mercy
helping not whom it shows malice
Let us not seek reward in the end for deeds we should do by conscience. Let us instead stive to be fondly remembered by those we love.

Reviews

[bluessadmood]

This is so lovely my friend,lovely and sad..but i think it should not be..or is it
years left so many tears,those days of childish ways
life taste both sweet and bitter,the winds always blew
and i always looked the mirror,see two faces young and aged
I laughed for youth made me look like a fool
thought life could wait and time was mine
a friend who always tricked me to the end
pain always was my friend..pain always stayed with fools
You dont know how I enjoyed this..this was so great writing
but i dont think its that bad..fools also enjoy their life..pity
lovely write..

[Siddartha Beth Pierce]

So true - I have seen many friends overtaken by physical, mental and emotional pains over their years of life. And in the end it can be very frustrating as our youth passes us by so quickly. Thank you.
Light,
Siddartha

[~LeeAnn~]

Very......astonishing.....

[ABitBrokenPoetry]

time always catches up to us. when we're young, we don't notice it. as we get older, each year older, we feel it lingering. & finally it will entrap us. dark but honest write.

[Magdelena]

What more could I possiably say that has not been said already? This was a sign of things as they were till things as they are.. A perfect look at one's time spent through the process of ageing.. You mastered the form of the write so perfectly together, like a puzzle that fit in perfect order. Wonderfy Tate!



Mg xx

[Martin See]

the narrator is reflective of time spent through the years...reminising with some regret...the last lines,"time was my friend but in the end, pain overcame what was left of me." ...it's a sad tale of how life's circumstances takes over and how some of us are left with nothing but pain...it's a grim look of desolation, impoverishment, loneliness...themes that would serve as a good reminder to those who have plenty to share...enjoyed this poem...thumbs up tate!

[LisetteCanWrite!]

Bravo.. reflections of past and present so fill the lines to this story so poetically written. I loved the feel, found parts sad but with some celebration of life through laughter and playing in youth! So sweet to know life this way.. even though we still have the aches and pains of aging.. so many are truly lucky to have those great memories in youth.. whereas many in the world never get that opportunity.. due to being born to hardship.. or in a poor country.. at the end of almost everyone's days who dies naturally .. pain and/or sadness becomes the last moments of what is felt regardless of background. Thank you so much for sharing.. the rhythm, rhyme and flow was great like always! =)

[Lizanne]

Time awaits no one. We look in the mirror one day, seeing youth in its height of perfection. We become so busy pursuing our dreams and the other little things in life and before you know it, we glance in that same mirror and then look behind us to see who the stranger is that the mirror now reflects. In our rush to live, we forget that tomorrow does come and with it all the wrinkles, gray hair and the dulling of once vibrant eyes. If only tomorrow never comes, I will still be as I was yesterday, but upon its arrival I am now sadly my own mother or father. Beautiful and wise writing.

[Georgia Gypsy]

cuts to my heart.....sad, and thoughtfully written.
gives me much to think on as well....
thanks tate:)

[deeps]

This is such a wonderful emotional write
This tugs the heart strings

[Sagela]

Aww I like this poem. It is sad and sweet at the same time. It is a great poem. Great job on this one.

-*Sagela*-