Oh . . . let it go!
Quit complaining about growing old.
I’m half-way through my septuagenarian years,
big deal!
If you divide life into seasons,
I’m probably long past autumn,
well into winter.
Things I have on my must-do list,
goals to achieve,
to make my “mark” on the world?
So what if some of them don’t get done.
I’m happy I can bend over to pull on my galoshes!
Carless in Boston,
I leave footprints in the snow
walking to the store or to the doctor’s office.
Shows me I’m still here,
above ground.
I’ll bet I can still make snow angels.
I know I can –
you’d just have to help me get up.
Think of life as a merry-go-round,
concentrate on the merry part.
So we can’t climb up
to sit on the tallest horse anymore.
Let’s just sit in the carriage
the one with benches on both sides.
It goes around just as fast as the horse.
It just doesn’t go up and down anymore.
That’s us you know . . .
leveled out to enjoy the ride.
I’m hosting Tuesday Poetics at dVerse today, the virtual pub for poets around the globe. I’ve provided a list of song titles about winter and cold weather. Writers must include at least two of the song titles from the list, within their poem, word for word. They can add punctuation between the words of the song title; or split the words over two lines (enjambment); but the titles must clearly be included in the body of the poem, word for word.
I’ve included three titles from the list in my poem: Let It Go, Winter Things, and Footprints in the Snow. Pub opens at 3 PM EST. Come join us!
Photo from Pixabay.com
lillian the home poet 
I love the optimism in your poem… and something I need to feel, when one part of my life (work) is coming to an end.
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Your work is coming to an end? Are you retiring? I’ve always believed optimism is the best outlook for life and one we can choose to have. 🙂
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I have a few years left, but definitely less than I have already worked. In three years from now I have worked 30 years for the same company.
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This is exquisitely drawn, Lillian 😍 I love the idea of life as a merry-go-round, a lovely notion and philosophy that needs to be followed. 💘💘
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Thank you, dear friend.
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That last line is a knockout! Amen. I just retired and it’s an absolute hoot.
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Congratulations on your rejuvenatement! I never say that other R word….who wants to get re – tired?
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I love your ride on the life-cycle merry-go-round. Lillian! You are exactly right. I am right there with you on the flat seat! :>)
I loved this line…
I’ll bet I can still make snow angels.
I know I can –
you’d just have to help me get up.
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Yes….I was in rather a sassy mood when I penned this! 🙂 Age is really a number but I guess we don’t always have to agree with it, right?
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You are right… just embrace it an make each one a great one!
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Lillian, I thought of this song after reading your poem:
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Oh my gosh….this must be from the 50s or 60s? Funny that they’re singing about the sunny side of life without cracking a smile! Fun to watch and oh yes….I do try to keep the sunny side of life in mind. My daughter has always called me a Pollyanna….in her exact words, “Every movie can’t be the Sound of Music, mom.” But guess what? I can choose to only watch happy movies or mysteries. 🙂 Thanks for sending this clip along. Fun to watch!
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Lillian, that’s some of the famous Carter Family. Johnny Cash became part of the family when he married June. Their lives in the hills were anything but easy, yet they still managed to find a way to come down off the mountain and sing, keeping the songs of their people alive.
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Cheers to that!! I love this, Lillian…the sprinkles of humour and all the visual images, especially love the idea of leaving footprints in the snow to show you’re still here. Well that’s for sure! You go, girl.
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Well….I just got a little sassy with this poem! I’ll be reading it aloud for OLN LIVE tomorrow 🙂 Come if you can…just to listen! 🙂
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Just wanted to say, I loved this. So descriptive and positive. Thank you.
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So glad you enjoyed, Adda. My pen just wrote what I feel. 🙂 Positive is the best way to be and always a choice we can make, right?
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Love this!!!!
Sent from my iPhone
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Thanks, Nancy! So fun to see you here. And yes, it really is how I feel! 🙂
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Great poem. I especially like these lines: “I’ll bet I can still make snow angels./I know I can –you’d just have to help me get up.” This made me laugh.
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Always happy to hand out a chuckle or two. Glad you enjoyed my poem!
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I love the positive beat to your poem. This part made me smile.
Think of life as a merry-go-round,
concentrate on the merry part.
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So glad you enjoyed, Truedessa. It really is how I feel these days! 🙂
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I’m with you on snow angels but can’t convince my family to let me do it
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I used to love making snow angels with our kids. Have been known to walk over to Boston Commons after a snow storm and make a snow angel there. People always look askance to see a senior citizen doing that. But you know what? I look at our “senior” time as a time to be a kid again! 🙂
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I love the acceptance of limitations and the determination to enjoy it all anyway! Getting old is a privilege, and should be treated as such.
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Amen to that! 🙂
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My dad decided to be 36, always. I’ve followed his lead and self ID as 36 too. Why not?
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I love that! 🙂
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When he first told me he was 36 I was nine and he was 54. I believed him.
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What a fun memory. I think I would have liked him (but you would know). 🙂
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I never met anyone who didn’t like him but he was very reserved. He’d rather read a book than get involved with people he knew he wouldn’t like.
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I can relate to that. 😏
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xxx
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When I was very young and knew that my mother was 35, my grandmother told me she (my grandmother) was 32. I was very confused for quite a while about that. 😀
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😄
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Reminds me of Jack Benny who always said he was 39! 🙂 If you remember or know who Jack Benny was? I grew up in his home town, Waukegan, Illinois. And there’s a Jack Benny Middle School there.
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I know the name, like Bob Hope and Andy Williams but have no idea what they did.
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Written with so much fun and spunk. Luv this poem Lillian
Much💜love
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A little spunk is always good! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
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Lillian, I just love the positivity in your words! When I am in my seventies, I hope to enjoy life like you. ❤️
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Hey — I figure you can have fun in life at any age! 🙂
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Check out this
Whirligig Prompt 400
Much💜love
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You made me chuckle. I like how happy-go-lucky this poem sounds.
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Always happy to hand out chuckles! 🙂
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Such a fun and strong affirmation of living life and enjoying it no matter what! Thank you!
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I figure if we’re here, we better enjoy every moment we can, right? Thankful for every day!
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A good way to go through life!
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I suppose I could say that I’m entering my winter (70, in 3 months). But autumn is my favorite season, and in my own autumn I feel I’ve grown as a poet. (My first book is in print!) So, I think I’ll stick with autumn for a while.
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Autumn is always good….more colorful! 🙂 Congratulations on the book!
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Thank you.
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Loved the imagery in this and it brought a smile to my face ,3
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❤
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This is really wonderful Lillian! ❤
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what a positive poem. a great outlook on life
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So many splashes of humor in this, Lillian. It is an uplifting poem.
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