Gray Matters

Today I met a woman of one hundred and one years All her faculties in full cooperation And while hypnotized by her discernment What in hindsight was most likely a fleeting thought Is now a conceivable notion A true encounter with the aging Is one rarely forgotten Consider this exchange the cliff notes to a world education Free of charge She speaks direct Her thoughts, fluent and uninhibited Every message delivered in concise no nonsense tones There is nothing to be confused or misconstrued Truth trumps all in the era from which she hails She speaks only of what is known from experience And the passion in her recollection tells me there is nothing embellished Her wisdom is astounding Never has a one way conversation seemed so riveting But I cling to her every word As though my life hangs in the balance Awe stricken by her penetrating delivery She is a well traveled almanac A complimentary set of unopened encyclopedias She has bore witness to things I have only studied in text Indeed she wears her years on her face Her walk is a slow and deliberate pace She may even force you to put on hold your impatience Due to brittle bones or any number of other ailments she may own Any number of things unforeseen that one day find us all And with hair that’s as gray and firm as steel wool Do not see her for a fool Because while fools may chatter The wise will surmise, Such rare constitutions greatly matter And they are vital to the evolution of us all They are too often shunned Frequently preyed upon Relished as choice game for the swindlers But let us never forget Let us always remember These crucial ties must never be severed To access these vaults you need only pull the lever And there you shall find what takes little to no time To discover what is truly the most splendid hidden treasure Copyright©2013 by Daryl R. Gaines. All rights reserved