Age creaks youth bounces
And the middle resists
Running away from one
And into the other
The pain of life
Reminding me reminding me
I’m not done yet
Now in my Autumn
When youths leaves turn
Comes my brightest colors
And then and only
Then I’ll be gone
It hit hard like
Fresh cold mountain air
Making me gasp choke
News that wracked me
Like a lynch mob
Making me retreat from
The outside in as
The dust of devastation
Settled in my heart
My mind reeled a
Deep sea lure taken
And run unable to
Pull it back in
The news whatever it
Was then numbed me
And like a criminal
I denied my culpability
It was that bad
It is often said
The more you mourn
The longer they stay
Moored to this earth
By the weight of
Your sorrow unchain their
Pain and attach balloons
Of joy and happiness
Letting them float away
As high as the
Sky and well beyond
Sitting here and crying
Not really truly knowing
Wondering why thinking how
If leaving was easier
Than staying if ever
Between then and now
They asked what if
Is there such a
Thing as choice then
Or do we all
Just ride the same
Bus to the end
Of the same line
It’s the time now
To remember and reflect
All of the good
So set aside bad
Like tucking away seldom
Used spices behind those
Fondly often reached for
Time to turn pages
Of their scrapbook and
Entertain all the joy
That they brought and
Left behind like toys
Once played with but
Now suddenly gone silent
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 