by Pa Rock
Poetry Appreciator
I have recently been exchanging email with an old friend from high school, a lady whom I haven't seen in more than thirty years. Yesterday she sent a picture of herself, a "selfie" which clearly portrayed the girl I remembered from high school, though now her hair is "platinum" and shorter - but it was my friend from long ago looking perhaps just a touch more refined and elegant than she did way back when.
And I knew that now the onus was on me to send along a current picture of myself, but I really don't have any - especially any "digitals" that could be sent by email. As far as I know I have never taken a "selfie" and am relatively sure that I would not even be able to figure out how to take one.
My cell phone, though an older model - with a crank - might be capable of taking a selfie, but then I would still have to find a drug store to get it developed - and where do you find a drug store these days? I've thought about upgrading to a model with a rotary dial, but that seems like such an unnecessary expense just to snap a few pictures.
And then I would still have to figure out how to take a selfie. (I try to limit myself to no more than a couple of technological advances per decade.)
I have asked a couple of female relatives, ladies who like taking and collecting photos, to dig around and see if they can come up with a picture of me that I can share with my friend. Then, if I can find a drugstore, I might even print off a big copy to use in the garden!
Waste not, want not!
Today, to highlight the delicate subject of aging, I was going to use Maya Angelou's wonderful look at getting older entitled "On Aging," but after digging through the Ramble archives, I found that I have already used that poem - twice - over the past two years! So instead I have chosen to go with "Beautiful Old Age" by David Herbert Lawrence, a poet who compares the aging process to ripening fruit.
We are not getting older - just more fragrant!
Beautiful Old Age
by David Herbert Lawrence
It ought to be lovely to be old
to be full of the peace that comes of experience
and wrinkled ripe fulfillment.
The wrinkled smile of completeness that follows a life
lived undaunted and unsourced with accepted lies
they would ripen like apples, and be scented like pippins
in their old age.
Soothing, old people should be, like apples
when one is tired of love.
Fragrant like yellowing leaves, and dim with the soft
stillness and satisfaction of autumn.
And a girl should say:
It must be wonderful to live and grow old.
Look at my mother, how rich and still she is! -
And a young man should think: By Jove
my father has faced all weathers, but it's been a life!
Poetry Appreciator
I have recently been exchanging email with an old friend from high school, a lady whom I haven't seen in more than thirty years. Yesterday she sent a picture of herself, a "selfie" which clearly portrayed the girl I remembered from high school, though now her hair is "platinum" and shorter - but it was my friend from long ago looking perhaps just a touch more refined and elegant than she did way back when.
And I knew that now the onus was on me to send along a current picture of myself, but I really don't have any - especially any "digitals" that could be sent by email. As far as I know I have never taken a "selfie" and am relatively sure that I would not even be able to figure out how to take one.
My cell phone, though an older model - with a crank - might be capable of taking a selfie, but then I would still have to find a drug store to get it developed - and where do you find a drug store these days? I've thought about upgrading to a model with a rotary dial, but that seems like such an unnecessary expense just to snap a few pictures.
And then I would still have to figure out how to take a selfie. (I try to limit myself to no more than a couple of technological advances per decade.)
I have asked a couple of female relatives, ladies who like taking and collecting photos, to dig around and see if they can come up with a picture of me that I can share with my friend. Then, if I can find a drugstore, I might even print off a big copy to use in the garden!
Waste not, want not!
Today, to highlight the delicate subject of aging, I was going to use Maya Angelou's wonderful look at getting older entitled "On Aging," but after digging through the Ramble archives, I found that I have already used that poem - twice - over the past two years! So instead I have chosen to go with "Beautiful Old Age" by David Herbert Lawrence, a poet who compares the aging process to ripening fruit.
We are not getting older - just more fragrant!
Beautiful Old Age
by David Herbert Lawrence
It ought to be lovely to be old
to be full of the peace that comes of experience
and wrinkled ripe fulfillment.
The wrinkled smile of completeness that follows a life
lived undaunted and unsourced with accepted lies
they would ripen like apples, and be scented like pippins
in their old age.
Soothing, old people should be, like apples
when one is tired of love.
Fragrant like yellowing leaves, and dim with the soft
stillness and satisfaction of autumn.
And a girl should say:
It must be wonderful to live and grow old.
Look at my mother, how rich and still she is! -
And a young man should think: By Jove
my father has faced all weathers, but it's been a life!
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