I seldom use it –
the full-length mirror.
When I do, it makes me wonder,
who is that person?
I’ve had fun with crepe paper.
That weird webbing you could stretch.
Make it wider and longer.
Hung it all over the family room
for many a birthday party.
So I have crepe skin on my arms.
Okay, be honest. In other places too.
I understand the term’s origins.
How did my mother climb into that frame?
Save your clucking tongue,
your “you haven’t changed a bit” comments.
I prefer to see my value in other ways.
In my husband’s eyes.
In my daughter’s forty-seven year old smile.
In my forty-five year old son’s weekly calls.
In the tik toks and quick texts shared with five grandkids.
I’ll wear capri pants, sleeveless tops,
sparkly eye shadow below my thinning brows.
I love my almost pure white streak
in the midst of my grey hair.
Save your tears for somebody else.
I’m quite content to be a septuagenarian.
The mirror be damned!
Today I’m hosting Tuesday Poetics at dVerse, the virtual pub for poets around the globe. I’ve asked folks to go to the website https://mybirthdayhits.com and plug in their birth date. The site then gives you the musical hit that made #1 on the charts for every birthday you’ve celebrated until 2021. So for example, if your birthday is today, September 28th and you were born in 1952, you plug in that date and the site will give you the #1 hit for every year on September 28th from 1952 until 2021! AND the site gives you a recording you can listen to as well. Such fun! So the prompt today is to take at least one of the #1 hits from your birthdate and include the song title, word for word, in your poem. You can use more than one #1 hit if you wish.
My birthday is May 13th: In 2007, my 60th birthday, the #1 hit was Makes Me Wonder by Maroon 5; in 2021, for my 74th birthday, the #1 hit was Save Your Tears by The Weeknd. You’ll find those titles in my poem today.
lillian the home poet 
Good for you! You look great x
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Thanks!
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This is incredibly poignant and heartfelt! 😍 You my dear friend are absolute sunshine on a gloomy day! Especially love; “I prefer to see my value in other ways. In my husband’s eyes. In my daughter’s forty-seven year old smile. In my forty-five year old son’s weekly calls. In the tik toks and quick texts shared with five grandkids.” 💝💝
Thank you so much for the lovely prompt!
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Always glad to spread a few rays of sunshine! 🙂 Glad you liked the prompt.
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I love the way you age gracefully and disgracefully at the same time! What a joy you are! So much to smile at here – the crepe paper skin, the love of family, the enjoyment of change. Inspirational.
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Thank you, dear Sarah. Your comments are truly appreciated!
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I love the way you describe yourself more in the life you live than in the looks (by the way you look great)… love it.
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Thanks, Bjorn. You are too kind! 🙂
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This makes me so happy:
“I’ll wear capri pants, sleeveless tops,
sparkly eye shadow”
Absolutely the right choice.
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Glad you like my choice of attire 🙂
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I want to age just this way and see my beauty in other’s eyes, the mirror is just a cold object, after all! And work that sparkly eye shadow!! ✨
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Yep. I forget the religious sect that does not allow mirrors. They’re really onto something, I think! They also don’t allow themselves to be photographed and have not photos of themselves.
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Growing up in Oklahoma, I heard that Native Americans used to not like photographs for fear they could steal your soul. It’s interesting they thought it magic. Maybe the way we perceive ourselves is magical though!
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Lillian,
You capture it well, the disconnect between who you see in the mirror and who you are. I feel it all the time and wonder at time and am thankful for love as you are.
pax,
dora
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Thank you, Dora. I truly appreciate your comment here. 🙂
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My pleasure!
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Mirrors are not magnets for me any more. The crepe skin on my arms does make me uneasy. My muscular arms have become Salvation Army drapes. I must tell you that Day 1 arriving at your blog site, I sensed a zest for life from you. And out-of-the-blue I thought that you would be fun to meet in person.
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Ah Glenn……”Salvation Army drapes” — GREAT metaphor. But look how much those folks beat their drums….and that’s what you and I will always be doing, crepe skin be damned!
How I would love to meet you and Buck in person someday 🙂
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What what a sweet gutsy lady you are. I’m 71 born in Feburary 1950 and grateful to be 71☺
Yeah.
Enjoyed your poem. Had fun writing mine.
Thanks for dropping by to read mine
Much💖love
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So glad you enjoyed the prompt. Gutsy….that’s a good way to be 🙂
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I’ve become quite adept at avoiding my full-length mirror. Some old woman has usurped it, I’m sure! Loved your challenge, Lillian.
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So glad you enjoyed the prompt, Beverly! Yup….the mirror definitely does not tell all 🙂
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Bravo! I relate to your poetic descriptive! Thanks for the validation!
Sent from my iPhone
>
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Yes, yes, yes! And you, my dear, are one of the most beautiful women I know…inside and out 🙂 HUGS from Boston!
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Wonderful write Lillian, and believe me, I relate! There is some old msn following me around. Every now and then I catch a glimpse of him in my mirror.… 😉
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Hah! As long as that old man is following and you’re doing the leading, all is well! 🙂
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Lillian – this is so positive and uplifting. Everything that you wrote is what we all should be focused on, regardless of our ages!
❤
David
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Amen to that! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
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Love it! I hate the idea of hiding age or being apologetic about it. So inspiring, fellow Taurean.
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So glad you enjoyed! Let us wear our age proudly 🙂
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Absolutely! 🙂
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Your song titles fit so neatly into your poem! Quite like aging gracefully. 😉 KUDOS.
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I love this. Never trust a mirror to tell you who you are! You are beautiful and more than anyone can see!
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I would like to be as cool as you are when I get to your age! I love sparkly eyeshadow now and I hope to keep loving it. This is so fun and positive!
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This is so uplifting, if only we would all wear our age so elegantly!
Every crepe winkle [not a typo] and white streak is proof of wisdom and a life well lived, your family is blessed to have you as the matriarch, as we at d’Verse are too
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A wonderful rumination, and a clever use of the song titles.
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