2015 Means I’m on my 55th Page

It’s just not that long ago, I was pretty much your age.

Enjoyed each day sophomoric, living life as if teenage.

Luck, hard work, and sacrifice….successful lives result.

And soon before you know it, kids will call you an adult.

Life’s half gone if I’m lucky.   Even more so, if I’m not.

My kids on their own journeys, learning things that I forgot.
Have lost many whom I’ve loved.

Couldn’t stay and play the game.

Now I make up my own rules.  Life will never be the same.

I’m inspired to make fine art.  Timeless beauty in my world.

Like my kids from long ago, 

with their long hair blonde and curled.

Have learned things from the masters.  

Like a garden in full bloom,

My muses guide my camera, draw me closer with the zoom.

Like a dream they live their lives, at a slower pace than I,

No phones or interruptions, in the past or by and by.

The world I have created from a memory of mine,

Of times which were much slower, 

winter rays of warm sunshine.

Internal and eternal, silent beauty.  All is still.

Of youth before disorder, satin skin with lace and frill.

An image I will treasure as I add to those I’ve made.

A mystery full of softness, dreamscape woven in a braid.

My real world even better, Alex working as a doc.

It was just like yesterday, on the field and but a jock.

My girls, each independent and pursuing her own trail.

Young women moving forward, as is seen in their email.

Their texting, voice, and faces, 

help me know their world’s all right.

I still see them in their youth, as I would tuck them in at night.

My wife? We talk of travel.  

If we could find the time, we would.

The seasons ending much too fast, 

more hiking would be good.

We live so close to nature, it's seductive all the year.

Frequent efforts in our garden, simply snacks for all our deer.

Our skiing is quixotic, yet we still enjoy its charm.

Just let us get off safely, pray not to buy the farm.

A weekend in the Tetons. Need to do this all again.

Just as nice to watch a sunset, sipping tonic and some gin.

I must acknowledge something. I'm living in a dream.

It's true you've all been vital, the 'friends and family' theme.

I keep finding things inspiring, 
though my eyes complain at times.

So I force myself to sit down, 
feel each moment making rhymes.

Taking time to think of each of you, 
on this day and all year long.

Just know I'm glad our paths have crossed.  
I've felt this all along.