Page 9 - Contrast1992Fall
P. 9
Old Times
First, he said good day an' Junes that are wet.
then I the same; "Chevys would run
sitting quietly, respect to pay, an' women were cooks
and sensing a need to ease aging games were fun
pain. an' learnin' come from books.
On bench creaking, "Politics was for men
and starting into yonder,
an' not for villains.
my swift decisive speaking Theives were in the pen
the old man slowed to ponder.
an' no man laid claim to feelings.
Patient as spreading ivy "Yes son they's so much you can't
he studied my youthful glare, remember
the passions whichforever drive me an' much I shan't forget
and my extremely long hair. but you've your own December
My words drifted into space, an' other ways for gettin' wet.
no audience to be found, "Old times, is old times
as decades of memories swept across his
face: an' goodfor memory
like a slow walk in the pines
soft, chubby, wrinkled and round.
His patience paid an' feeling a gentle breeze.
"Live for yourself
as silence crept in;
mistake in judgement made: an' let others be;
place memories on a shelf
youth's passion needing to defend.
Realization suddenly mine, an' relieve 'em when old like me.
"enjoy time given
he a silent grin;
we became unstruck in time an' love life's gift
for soon you'll be slippin'
like long and distant friends.
Meeting again on lonely street, an' fall into aging's pit.
"Equal we will be
a conversation long departed,
he wondered if we'd ever meet an'timeforgotten
our souls to be finally free
once eternity started:
"equal we will be an' bodies slowly rottin' ..."
His words drifted into space
an'timeforgotten;
souls to be finally free as mind began to bound:
decades of memories left to face
an' bodies slowly rottin' ..."
Young in experience, and friends still to befound.
Yet, patient as spreading ivy
and soul desiring to fly,
I held him in reverence he rejoiced in my youthful glare,
the passions that will forever guide me
at the wink of an eye. and my extremely long hair.
"what you can't remember
Joe Vernetti
an' what I shan't forget:
deep snow in December 7
