Anticipated Grief
For National Poetry Month #12
Anticipated grief
accompanies the steep incline of age
and the slow decline into infirmity—
an abyss
I cannot contemplate.
I cannot see my way,
nor feel my heart slip
between my fingers outstretched
nor touch feet to earth
without trembling.
copyright/all rights reserved April 12, 2012 Audrey Howitt. Do not use or copy without express written permission of the author.
Comments
AUTHORAnd yet, I feel so young! Thank you so much Vellur!
I came back to read this one,you have expressed growing old so very well. Voted up as always.
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Thank you so much Theresa! I so appreciate your kind comments!
Sad, melancholy, but so beautiful. Each word is perfectly placed. Theresa
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Thank you raciniwa--sorry that my comment is so late--
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Thank you Jamie--hope all is well in your world!
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Thank you Victoria! I feel so behind right now--
heart tugging, yet you always evoke that emotion in me Audrey...
It is worse when you see it coming. Jamie
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Thank you Blossom!
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Thank you ImKarn--and yes, I actually do think there is always a bright side!
I don't know that your poem needs any more at all. It succinctly says it all, making me almost tremble myself at the end. As someone else said, so much is packed into so few words. Brilliant, really.
A dear little poem and so succinct. It's just as well that one has the experience of years with which to have the strength to face old age. Of course, that's always ten years older than whatever age I am.
aging and ailing are certainly not for the weak! I find that with age i am losing my eyesight - which means i can't see my wrinkles anymore! See? There's always a bright side? omg..sigh..Awesome poem, Audrey!
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Thank you homesteadbound! I know exactly how you feel--I used to think that 56 was old--not anymore!
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Hey Ann! Thank you! I do embrace it all--I will bet you do too!
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Thank you Katrine!
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Thank you Frank!!
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Thank you Gypsy Rose Lee!
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Thank you GoodLady! And thank you so much for your comments. I think your analysis of the tone of the piece as it is, is correct. It does delve into the fear of death for me. And when I wrote this piece, I was contemplating the future death of my dog--she is my constant companion--and so, adding to this piece --feels premature in some ways---but your comments raise another issue for me that I think is open to discussion for me and maybe for other writers.
I think I don't tend to sit on my pieces long enough for other possibilities to percolate fully--and this may be once such example. Certainly, your comment raises this question for me, and so I really value your comment.
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Thank you so much Vellur! I am glad that you enjoyed it!
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Thank you so much AE!
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Thank you so much Realhousewife!
The older I get the more I realize how old I am not at this age. Does that make sense? Getting old is hard because you have to give up so much. But when I was much younger I thought 53 was old. Now that I have hit 53, it is not nearly as old as I thought it would be. Maybe now it makes sense. Your poem has got me to thinking.
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Thank you so much for reading time2rite!
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Thank you Nell!!
No! I refuse to accept it! It's not sad. Think of the wisdom. The Grandkids. The Travel. HubPages?
Embrace it! Love it all, even the pain. It's a gift!
Audrey, there you go with your thought provoking hubs again. I think I like you.
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Thank you eclectic!
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Thank you writer20. There is always much joy and much sadness in a full life I think---and perhaps it is important to experience both fully--
Very well done Audrey, short and right to the point.
wow.. this was so well done it's amazing how you're handling the 30/30 and so far not a slip... bless you
Voted up and your words express so much it touches the soul Audrey.
AudryHowitt this, I think, is the beginning of a longer poem, (if you will accept my feedback kindly). It is a very good initial verse about the thoughts of decline into death. Two more verses of this journey, describing the fear and then who knows what (possibly acceptance, or non acceptance of it, or who knows which way the poet's mind will blow!) would, in my opinion, make it a very very good poem. As it is, 'Anticipated Grief' provokes feelings and thoughts and perfectly describes the fear of death successfully enough, has the tone but then (I think) it begs for more. It's like a lone, mourning, trumpet note in a cemetery, but the note needs more. Please, take us there. Please.
A poem written with a sad tone, yet beautifully written.
Very touching, very deep. Awesome!
Voted up and beautiful and interesting!
So few words and yet so much meaning!
This wistful poem tugs at my heart as I think just how quickly time goes by. This is a beautifully sad poem, Audrey, and you presented it in a very unique way; awesome job!
Oh Wow! this says it all really. I believe we all feel this as we get older, awesome poem, voted and shared!
Bittersweet. That's the word that comes to mind after reading this. Voted beautiful and up! You are awesome!
This poem is sad yet wonderful. Voted up, Joyce.
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