aging

She said…

~ ~M ~ 16 Comments

woman-586185_1280

She said…

Welcome to the age
Of being quite old
Imperfections aplenty
And your feet are always cold

You used to have friends
But you can’t remember them now
And you try to make new ones
But you can’t remember how

You miss the days
When you were once vibrant and energetic
You’re now considered dull
And a wee bit eccentric

You look in the mirror
And you notice every strange feature
And you wonder how you became
Such an odd looking creature

You think of ways
In which you could improve
But that would then mean
You’d actually have to move

So you sigh a huge sigh
And bury your head
Deep in your pillow
On your old comfy bed

And you give yourself over
To the effects of time
Knowing you’ll never again be
At your prime

© 2019 Michelle Cook

Perfect stranger

~ ~M ~ 2 Comments

hand-3672958_1280

I watched each step
As she crossed that road
After leaving the safe shelter
Of her humble abode

Her clothes looked comfortable
With billowy cotton sleeves
And I suspected her socks
Were likely pulled up to her knees

Her hat was placed neatly
Atop a bed of pearly white hair
And as she slowly strode along
I couldn’t help but stop and stare

Her strides were shortened
By hips that dared not move
And her uniquely designed cane
Didn’t do much to improve

She seemed determined
Yet unhurried in decisive fashion
To get to wherever it was
Which was driving her inner passion

I sensed freedom in her jaunt
Though not of the physical kind
And I believe our brief encounter
Was solely meant to remind

For she made me think of the worries
The ones I cling to every day
And yet she so unintentionally
Seemed to leave hers miles away

I knew she’d discovered the secret
Found only in aging years
The one we all hope to find
To help lessen our irrational fears

And so she taught me a lesson that day
About my own life and who I am
And how I shouldn’t worry about the things
That I will never fully understand

I just wish I could thank her
For the encouragement she provided
It’s hard to find that these days
In a world so terribly divided

© 2019 Michelle Cook

True beauty is so much more…

~ ~M ~ 1 Comment

girl-850117_1280

People always seem to get caught up in their outer appearance
Never realizing that the inside is full of so much more brilliance

And if I had a dime for every time somebody believed they were ugly and old
I’d be richer than rich for the lies they’ve believed and been told

© 2019 Michelle Cook

We’d be free… free just to be.

~ ~M ~ 25 Comments

girls

I wish I had a friend who would pretend with me once more
Masquerading away the day, we’d be silly and free
Free to be a princess, a pirate, or even a superhero
Regardless of whomever we wanted to be
We’d be free
Free just to be
Oh to be five once again…
To feel alive again…

I wish I had a friend who would ride bikes with me all day
Riding around the neighborhood, we’d be silly and free
Free to explore the park, the zoo, or even the beach
Regardless of wherever we wanted to go
We’d be free
Free just to be
Oh to be ten once again…
To feel alive again…

I wish I had a friend who would spend some time with me
Bumming around together, we’d be silly and free
Free to hang out at the arcade, go bowling, or even catch a movie
Regardless of whatever we decided to do
We’d be free
Free just to be
Oh to be fifteen once again…
To feel alive again…

I wish I had a friend who could understand what I’m going through
Never-ending late night talks, we’d be silly and free
Free to discover who we are, speak honestly, and become forever friends
Regardless of whatever we discovered about each other
We’d be free
Free just to be
Oh to be twenty once again…
To feel alive again…

I wish I had a friend who would help me make tough decisions
Coming alongside me, we’d be silly and free
Free to dream, think, and consider the future
Regardless of whatever we planned
We’d be free
Free just to be
Oh to be twenty-five once again…
To feel alive again…

I wish I had a friend who would help me be a better parent
Giving me some guidance, we’d be silly and free
Free to learn how to cope, adjust, and love unconditionally
Regardless of whatever we learned
We’d be free
Free just to be
Oh to be thirty once again…
To feel alive again…

I wish I had a friend who could help me fix my marriage
Lending me their shoulder, we’d be silly and free
Free to face problems together, comfort one another, and give compassion
Regardless of whatever we experienced
We’d be free
Free just to be
Oh to be thirty-five once again…
To feel alive again…

I wish I had a friend who would make me feel young again
Through words of reassurance, we’d be silly and free
Free to laugh at ourselves, cry at times, and encourage one another
Regardless of our age
We’d be free
Free just to be
Oh to be forty once again…
To feel alive again…

I wish I had a friend who lived nearby
Through close moments spent together, we’d be silly and free
Free to see each other face to face, always welcoming a loving embrace
Regardless of life’s turmoil
We’d be free
Free just to be
Oh to be forty-five once again…
To feel alive again…

To be continued when I’m older…

© 2018 Michelle Cook