Home » Poems » Andrea Dietrich » Degeneration Blues - At Fifty

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Here is what 60 looks like. I still jump but only on a trampoline!!

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Andrea Dietrich

July 10, 2016 ·

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Degeneration Blues - At Fifty

My neck is stiff; my hair has strands of white.
I exercise . . . . . metabolism slows.
yet still I have my teen-aged appetite!
Bad eyes (beneath them sometimes tiredness shows).

But worse, there’s crept upon me something new.
Degeneration of the disc I’ve got.
I’m much too young for this to happen to!
My shoulder hurts; my back’s begun to rot.

No more should I wear heels or jump or run.
I have to take more care and shouldn’t moan.
Perhaps in time some healing may be done.
Such fun! My hope’s for bone to fuse to bone!

So now I’ll shun tough work with good excuse,
and soak in bubbles my old sore caboose.

April 21, 2017
Exaggerated version of problems I began facing back when I was 50! 
Other things since then have made my early 50's issues mild by comparison!

agesonnet

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Sarban Bhattacharya

Date: 5/14/2017 3:59:00 AM

Despite written with a humorous tone, it doesn't conceal the agonies of getting old. Nice poem, Andrea.

Jennifer Walker

Date: 4/26/2017 10:00:00 AM

Relating to this poem as you know, but I've had the bone problems from way way back.

Connie Marcum Wong

Date: 4/24/2017 5:52:00 AM

I can't believe we have been here at PS over seven years Andrea. The hardest thing for me to do was to slow down. I can still out swim most of the people at 24 hour fitness doing laps. But I swim slower. I can certainly relate to this poem. and i enjoyed it Andrea. I love the photo of you! 7 ; ) Who took it?

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 4/24/2017 6:12:00 PM

connie, I still swim just as fast, but I have not swum breast stroke for a long time. I always do back stroke. It's so easy to do it and does not hurt my neck. I think my nephew took the picture. This was just one day before my cancer surgery!! I was so happy to know I was going to be getting it out of me!

Eve Roper

Date: 4/23/2017 10:55:00 PM

Love the poem, Andrea, getting old is hell ~*

Jean Murray

Date: 4/23/2017 4:32:00 PM

My big sister is getting smaller with osteoporosis. I keep putting off a bone scan. I can't believe you are sixty Andrea.

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 4/23/2017 8:06:00 PM

almost 62 now and thanks for the compliment. I just wish some of my bones felt young again!!

Jan Allison

Date: 4/23/2017 1:46:00 PM

Wow you sure look good my friend and I love the humour in your lines ... i can relate to some of the poem but I wont say which bits lol:-) I hope this does really well in the contest:-) hugs Jan xx

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 4/23/2017 8:06:00 PM

haha

Roy Pett

Date: 4/23/2017 5:38:00 AM

This is excellent yet so sad and makes me feel guilty to think that I moan and groan about my slight aches and pains, this gets a definite 7 from me.

Roy Pett
Date: 4/23/2017 11:59:00 AM

Hi Andrea, I'm 61 and so very lucky health wise only on one tablet a day, just a little stiff now and again.

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 4/23/2017 10:04:00 AM

Are you over 50? I ask this because I started having the little pains in late 30's. Neck was a major one. I think I had neck trauma as a small child and it really does a number on the spine! I hope you don't have that one.

Debbie Duncan

Date: 4/22/2017 10:28:00 PM

Oh, I like this. I don't sprint up or down stairs anymore either :) 7 for sure

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 4/23/2017 10:03:00 AM

I do sprint up my stairs, Debbie. I am not that bad off yet!! Thank heavens. I walk my dog alot and do mini trampoline and spin classes at the gym. I was doing weight lifting until I developed some weird hand problem. Hoping it goes away.

Mohammad Yamin

Date: 4/22/2017 12:30:00 PM

Dear Andrea, I am glad I read your amazing poem. The positive thing is that you have learnt to take aging with humour. That is the way it should be. This is called GRACEFUL AGING. Read my poem on this caption. I'll be eighty this June. I am puting up with all those symptoms of aging.Thanks Andrea for your learned appraisal of my poem The Clouds and the praises you have showered. Love. _Mohammad

Eileen Manassian

Date: 4/22/2017 11:05:00 AM

OH dear....I'll be 50 this May 18...booooooooo! I'm dreading it. You used humor to lighten the pain of it all, dear. Thank you for that. You look great in those pics. ;) you are in good shape. Hugs

Chris Hagy

Date: 4/22/2017 10:57:00 AM

I love this picture!! :)...and I feel this write...literally...but at fifty I'm still in denial haha! :) Have great week Chris H.

Ronald Kent

Date: 4/22/2017 9:19:00 AM

Life is good eh, with all it's grunts and grown. Loved reading this.

Agnes Krampe

Date: 4/22/2017 7:42:00 AM

I dislike that these were the "mild" issues - but I like your description. The couplet is a great conclusion!

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 4/22/2017 10:54:00 AM

Agnes, I did not grow up with my father and his siblings so I had no idea how bad their genetics were. All my life i fully expected to have it easy like my mom did, but my sisters an I are all having joint and other problems and with the cancer last year, I really got scared. Come to find out, all these things predominate in my dad's family, so I am eating very healthy these days.It helps but it does not totally fix things. OH JOY!

John Michaels

Date: 4/22/2017 4:59:00 AM

Something we've all got to look forward to, I'm afraid. Creative write, Andrea and good to see the humour shining through! Good luck! Regards, John.