More Beautiful With Age - Question Mark

More Beautiful With Age? Do men grow more beautiful ageing? It may not be fair but seems true, Some process that’s secretly working To bring a man’s heart into view. And women seem openly jealous, Divining miraculous change, While counting their wrinkles and skin flaws, Anticipate worse things downrange. The male’s role though does have its downsides Among them are job loss and war, Through stress we die thirteen years sooner, And leave behind those we’ve worked for. But men now approaching their sixties, Surrender their need to control, Their chance to advance almost over, Priority given to soul. Resigned more to what they’ve accomplished, Their life’s reputation in hand, Find time now to reach out to others, Permission to live off the land. But women it seems are less happy, Still struggling to keep things in check, Their children successfully launched now, The mothers still fearing shipwreck. Perhaps it’s the shock of child leaving, The change much more sudden than man’s, A man can wind down expectations, Has more time to rearrange plans. Why is there a different stature, This gap between woman and man? A woman’s life still gets less credit, Though BOTH wilt in life’s frying pan. At times it seems all about money Is anyone happy with that? If money is life’s final answer Oh, let me just die in the fat* There always are men who are scoundrels, That doesn’t mean all guys are bad, And women who pop choc’late bonbons, To punish a world that’s gone mad. In virtue there’s always decision, The wise should be happy with that, There’s one simple truth you can count on, ‘Not easy,’ is life’s caveat. Disparity is not an answer, A shipwreck on rocks of life’s shore. What value there men can be proud of? Guys! Our gals should be honored more! Perhaps there are lessons for both here, A chance to evaluate loss, Appreciate gifts that are given, Remind ourselves God is true Boss! Brian Johnston August 24, 2014 Poet’s Notes: * ‘out of the fat and into the fire’ is an English idiom that implies that in trying to escape a little heat (in the fat - responsibility perhaps) one can fall out of the pan and wind up directly in the fire (most certainly worse).