Nolo Segundo

The Walking Wounded

I see us everywhere anymore,
at the supermarket or the mall,
moving slowly, often cane-less 
(old folks can be vain too) along 
a sidewalk like lost zombies, and
of course every time I visit one 
of the plethora of doctors I rely
upon to keep my cracking body 
and creaking heart working….

Why did I not see old people
when I was young?
They must have been there,
in my world of swiftness and
sex, of sprawling on a beach or 
dancing under the boardwalk
or driving fast enough to 
challenge death itself---but 
when I saw old people---and it
seemed rare back then—it was
like watching a scene from an
old black-and-white movie, 
not quite real, even quaint---

I liked old people and I loved
my Nana and Pop-Pop, but only
now in my 8th decade do I know
how much they had to put up with
in living a long life, how time has
a tendency to whittle away your
strength and confidence and grace,
shrinking your bones, drying out
your joints, slowing your brain
and poking holes--oh, so many
holes in your memory….

I am not as fond of old people
now I am one—it is the young
I now see fondly—
but they can’t see me….