|
you’re going to fall over soon old man be careful
and watch that your buttons are done up correct
the bird calls - do they sound any different these days same kinds?
new kinds? did they have birds like that when you were young?
the bird calls for his mates special special melody
time to get over the hill and can you feel it coming old-timer?
are you cheating on life a little longer? would the
food taste better if you were more of a man?
maybe eat a little less
but taste a little more?
when the cat purrs it’s keeping you smiling just by coincidence
but there’s nothing warmer than that
old man can you feel your time slipping out of your memory like a poor-quality photograph
the shoelace of your selfishness untethered to the floor
waiting for you to join
again
and terminally
are you counting the days?
just please don’t count backwards because
eventually you’ll come down to one
john
May, 2003
Yangmingshan, Taipei
|