Gift-wrapped Past and Present

Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem

The universe will solve your problems soon,

Perhaps too soon to please you best.  Perhaps

You’ve grown too old.  Your later afternoon

Has passed.  Your present life has turned to naps

When you would rather stay awake.  Your skin

Looks like a dried up toad, revolting, stiff.

You look too much like you have lived in sin

With old age men, have lived beside their cliff

Too long, or else nobody thinks you mean

Enough to notice.  You were boy, then youth,

Then bearded manliness.  Yes, you have been

A someone.  Now you’re not and that’s the truth.

  The universe is coming.  Don’t hold your breath,

    Though.  It will bring its final present, death.

© Phillip Whidden