Age · My Thoughts · poetry

A More Recent Belly Poem

Exercise - belly

My belly seems to be my theme for the last couple of days, but today’s poem reaches beyond my belly to the entire process of aging. I’m 68 today and enjoy my thoughts on life and my belly! Apparently, my belly is a favorite topic of mine!

The View Down and The View Up

July 2018

The view down startles me today!

In exercise class,

            sitting on my mat cross-legged, I looked down at my belly.

Recently, I lost fifteen pounds;

            the bulge of my tummy has shrunk!

I love the loss!

            My tummy doesn’t stick out like before.

            The shrinkage is good!

Having just turned sixty-five.

            I see my body changing,

delightful yet sad!

Arthritic hands - belly

Arthritis cripples several fingers

            and my thumbs.

Once I had straight lovely fingers,

            hands I loved to view.

Now I see my mom’s and grandma’s hands

crooked and achy,

            where mine used to be.

I still wear beautiful turquoise rings;

            pain screams through the beauty.

My right knee hints of hurting today.

            I have a brace I keep handy

                        just in case.

            Arthritis too!

Oops! Belly

As I age,

the worst part so far—

                        I pee my pants

                                    when I cough

                                                when I sneeze

                                                            when I laugh too hard.

Thankfully, pads ended years ago

            when my period stopped,

                        and I celebrated.

Now I have returned to pads

            for protection

for safety

for security.

I fear an inexplicable puddle.

                        Will Depends be in my future?

Dance

            exercise

                        Zumba

                                    movement

                                                massage

                                                            keep my body nimble, limber and moving.

Writing

            reading

                        meaty, meaningful conversations

                                                laughter

                                                            friends

                                                                        responsibilities

keep my mind nimble, flexible and alive.

Facing this next phase of life,

            I wonder?

I want to meet and greet

            the elderly woman in me.

I want to accept her limits,

                        to challenge her mindset,

                                    to embrace her idiosyncrasies.

I don’t see me as a feeble ole lady

            wearing nylons rolled up to my knees

                        wobbling, unsure.

I will continue to wear hot pink and leggings

            wobbling with style and grace.

I want to redefine being

            a Senior Citizen.

I have “Hot Tamale” red spiked hair

            instead of gray.

                        I saw the gray and white coming

                                    and opted to hold on to my youth.

And besides,

            I’m a redhead at heart,

                        because of my red-headed father.

I’m young at heart.

I’m trim today,

            because I have to be.

                        Echoes of family genetics

                                    keep me steadfast.

                        My maternal grandmother and her sisters

                                    overweight German stock.

I have a life partner

            that shares my attitudes.

                        We travel and enjoy life.

                                    We laugh. We talk. We dance.

                                                We start many days with a rousing Cribbage game.

He’s older than me

                        and

                                    I watch his wise ways

of handling these changes.

I have dear friends and family who encourage me

            to be the authentic woman God created me to be.

The future is bright.

            The day is calm.

                        Serenity overflows.

I like all of me

            the helpless baby I was,

                        the energetic five-year-old,

                                    the obnoxious thirteen-year-old,

                                                the sixty-five-year-old crone.

I honor each one and their influence on me today.

Yes, years bring wisdom

            patience

                        acceptance

                                    a strong knowing

I’m ready

            for God’s next phase

                        a new uncharted adventure

Looking up - belly

The view up at this glorious world graces my day.

            A verdant green forest of piñon pine

                        A luscious purple mesa lit up at sunset

                                    Cholla cactus in full fuchsia bloom

                                                My fifteen-year-old Siamese cat who struggles

with feline diabetes yet meows his love to me

Summer newness exploding in our garden

                                                                                                with anticipation

                                                                                                            and joy

The view down

            into my body and soul—

                        I like what I see!

The view up

            out of my world

                        reaches to the clouds and back

to my God.

I’m ready!


Finally,

Three years ago, I wrote this poem. Obviously, the coronavirus pandemic has changed our dance and travel joys, but physically, not much has changed. I celebrate the idea of being a Baby Boomer with a purpose, and I found that here in the Ultimate Blog Challenge. Thank you! And I continue to wonder about this time of my life!

How has your body changed with aging? What are you doing to combat the changes? What are you doing to accept the changes? Share your thoughts below.

Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? meme

Visit my website to find out about my new book, Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? and my other five books and three cookbooks: https://laradasbooks.com

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