Play of Life

I do write a lot of free-verse though rhyme is my specialty.. shallimarRose

Serendipity dawns the age,

Reluctantly I turn the page

Alas the mirror does all but tell,

The strains of time I knew so well

And who is there that I can see

Tis not I looking back at me

'Twas not the way the memories told,

I can't remember growing old

The lines of time have since caressed,

Within the sequence of distress

Two glowing eyes with slanting corners,

Now hold the tears of silent mourners

And fortunes told that once denounced,

The written names I can't pronounce

Defy the images I remember,

Surly it cannot be September

For only yesterday 'twas spring,

When all was full of life's renewing

And children small listened so intently,

Beguiling eyes no more than twenty

A summer's song begot from spring,

The  rose to autumn musings sing

As snow caps fill the outer gates,

The scent of winter permeates

The checkered flag draws ever nearer,

And finish line looks so much clearer

For all we do from birth till now,

Is try to win the race somehow

We try to make those extra laps,

And fill the heart with love perhaps

To win the Oscar on the stage,

The play of life the scene of age

©  bj Smith

Aka shallimarRose

Author's Note

Thank you for taking the time to read here...
Feel free to comment/critique..

Reviews

[Anna]

For all we do from birth till now,

Is try to win the race somehow

We try to make those extra laps,

And fill the heart with love perhaps

To win the Oscar on the stage,

The play of life the scene of age

Those were my absolute facourite lines in this poem, perhaps because it sums it up in a nice rhythmic way. You took a very traditional and cliche rhyme scheme and turned it into something I couldn't stop reading. It is an incredible poem that would have some emptiness without the rhyming, very good job. I love this

[shallimarRose]

Thank you Anna.. Hmmm that is the first time I have ever heard rhyme called cliche'. You will get a lot of this style from me as well as some heavier freestyle.. Glad you enjoyed it.. xo Rose

[Anna]

Really? I heard it alot. However i took a bit of an english song writers class in school and they refused to accept any poetry/writing that had "AABBCC" rhyme style or "ABAB CDCD" because it was too origional. However you made it very unique.

[Einstein Noodle]

beautifully said.
"For only yesterday 'twas spring, "

so it seems, shallimarRose, so it seems. :)

E.

[shallimarRose]

Thank you E.... yes.. For reading and commenting.. xo shallimarRose

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i like the analogy of growing old to getting close to the checkered flag...the race of life...we won't always win it...but just to finish is good...and finish feeling like we ran a good race...

like this

jacob

[shallimarRose]

Thats exactly it Jacob.. The important thing in the end is did we run a fair race? Did we try our hardest or just let life pass us by... I am pleased you came to read.. Thank you. shallimarRose

[redflutterby]

So much I'm this poem....all the feelings we have as we age. The things we fear but know they are inevitable. Brilliant poem!!

[shallimarRose]

Thank you for pausing to read and comment Red.. I appreciate.. xo shallimarRose

[Sami Khalil]

We all do play different roles in life and we all have different ambitions even in different times and seasons. You have penned a great one on the play on life...:)

[shallimarRose]

Thank you Sami.. xo shallimarRose

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome...:)

[FocusedAmnesia]

Love the last two lines. Read nicely.

[shallimarRose]

Thank you.. shallimarRose

[Sam]

The play of life... the scene of age.
Splendid write. I love the story you tell of growing old. I could see the pages of a calendar fall and fall all the time. But the beauty you write into it. I have never read something so memorable I will be saving this on in my library of Favorite. Thank you for the read request. Can't wait to read more.

[shallimarRose]

Thank you Sam for taking the time to read and comment.. xo shallimar

[Rita L. Sev]

'Twas not the way the memories told, I can't remember growing old...

I think this same thought every day... I really enjoyed this piece, Rose. Wisdom flowing with lovely imagery.

[shallimarRose]

Thank you Rita.. xo shallimarRose