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LITERARY NOOK
Sweet and sour senescent sonnets
“The unfortunate winter of old age is stiff through pain and shaky life comes to an end like a water bubble.”
—In Latin on a 16th century drawing of the four ages of man.
The Unfortunate Winter of Old Age
The unfortunate winter of old age brings stiff
fingers, knees, and shoulder joint pain from arthritis
one fortunate benefit of growing old is old
friends, children and grandchildren who delight us.
We stumble through the immensities of shaky life
between birth and death, many a slip of their tongues
cause hurt, harm, and anger between husband and wife
climbing up and down heaven and hell’s ladder rungs.
Old age pains and problems are part of senescence
and the same is true for lifelong joy and trouble
from deep despair to joy reveling in pleasance
all puffed up with pain and pride we pop life’s bubble.
Senior winters bring more verbal slips and pratfalls
as we tell tall tales throwing old verbal curveballs.
Geriatric Rag Half in the Bag
Had a few drinks, think I can still walk a straight line
from my home down side streets for a mile or two
to buy groceries and a box or two of wine
no breakage with a wine box it’s something new.
Later I scowl above my fat chin jowl
drinking juice from a box that frustrated the fox
my fuzzy mind recalls fair-weather friends and foul
some old buddy boys from the school of hard knocks.
Hoarding books I’ve crammed every nook and cranny full
drawers and cupboards of antique junk to be treasured
now my head and beard hair are as white as sheep’s wool
cups of beer, wine, and booze are no longer measured.
Me and my old hag both half in the bag go to bed
with music and romancing dancing in our head.
***
Joey Connolly aka Pepe Batbon is a retired educator who taught in the CNMI, NOLA, and LVNV. He is a sonnet practitioner who enjoys stargazing.
