Thursday, February 26, 2015

Time’s measured in a thin line on a cat’s back...



From the moment we are born we begin to die…’
 I no longer wonder what these words mean.

Aging is subtle and barely perceptible at first—
the skin etches one molecule at a time
& the cracks in our mask move with us
keeping illusions complete.
and time stretches seemingly forever before us—
    “Carpe Diem—seize the day.”
The days turn into years, the first gray hair appears
and the smile lines etch ever deeper,
    (not wrinkles, not I)
and I wonder “Where did time go?”
Yet
  I need no reminder

  the cost
no reminder how fleeting life is.

So, like the cat stretched & purring beside me
I immerse in the moment
For much too soon…
 … tick //TocK//tick
&time stands still

© Ginny Brannan 2015 (with Brian Miller & Claudia Schoenfeld

Written for D'Verse: Pick a Line

Sorry Claudia & Brian, you both had such great lines I couldn't choose, so I used two from each. (Lines borrowed in italics, Brian/light gray, Claudia title and lavender) Having just passed another mile-marker on this road of life, and still being in that melancholy mood of contemplation that follows this event, this was not difficult to write. Thanks for the inspiration!


21 comments:

  1. smiles. i am at that place as well...realizing what is important...and what is not...what i allow to take my time and ...time is not a commodity that ever grows for us you know....but we spend it every day

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  2. Indeed.. you reach that point.. and a happy birthday once again to you Ginny. we seemed to be in much the same mood to write about death...

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  3. We all reach that place too soon ~ Enjoy the moment as life is indeed fleeting ~

    And happy special day to you ~

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  4. Happy birthday, Ginny! I guess one of the perks is that we get hindsight and are better able to assess what matters and what does not.

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  5. So true about aging. It is very subtle. Sometimes we don't recognize it for a long time. I am not a fan of birthdays any more either. Smiles. But happy birthday anyway! Better than the alternative, as they say.

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  6. I wonder who this old women is when I look in the mirror.

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  7. I'm just 23, but I feel time is moving faster, and it's a bit scary seeing my loved ones get older; I've grown a part from friends whom I thought would be in my life forever, but... that's life as it goes on... Happy birthday :)

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  8. I'm amazed at today's offerings ...I think the prompts from Brian and Claudia's poetry has brought out the best in a lot of poets...about all the usual suspects, universal topics about aging, fear, love, time...just better...Happy Birthday!

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  9. Your poem is a reminder to enjoy the moments in life as they come.

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  10. Happy birthday, Ginny - I refuse to let time limit or define me, so although I can understand your melancholy, I like the Carpe Diem approach. I can see what you mean by our similar approach to the poem...

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  11. smiles... those milestones make us breathe deeper and more contemplative the older we get it seems... grey hair here as well... used to color them but just about to make up my mind if i leave them as they are... as a sign of wisdom maybe..? smiles

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  12. Oh, I totally relate! And you've written it so well. Brian and Claudia are obviously very inspiring indeed; all the poems I've read so far have been wonderful, including this one.

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  13. Absolutely wonderful....I can relate soooo well.

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  14. I know young people love to celebrate their birthdays. But as I age a birthday has a different meaning and does lead me to reflect on the precious time I have left. This poem expresses precisely what I experience.

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  15. Wonderful use of the borrowed lines! Yes, the clock keeps on ticking!

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  16. One of the things I love most about the diversity of age among the dVerse gang. In my film club, the average age is 55; which is fine, but we need to hear from the youngsters too.

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  17. you used Brian's and Claudia's lines well in this poem of ageing. Nicely done.

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  18. Well done sketch of aging - with a settled acceptance of the purring cat.
    Liked it !

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  19. I just said "where does the time go" the other day. Realizing and embracing what's important... Live in the moment....Wonderfully done!

    Happy Birthday ❤ ℋ

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  20. You married their lines beautifully and like a wind-up clock it runs into a stillness and a repose at the end. Lovely.

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  21. Beautifully done, I enjoyed this so much.

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Thank you for reading my poetry and sharing your thoughts.