Half-life of old friends
Mom writes polemics, when a cause grasps her heart
She's a good soul and wants to do her part
A journal took one, so she emailed it to friends
Then found that old age had brought many to their ends
Sometimes children answer back, or maybe a weary wife
They thank her kindly, talk about the hollow in their life
Sometimes they are left to cope alone
But there's always a rest for a rolling stone.
I viewed the emails she’s getting back
This one succumbed to a heart attack
This one had a blood disease, slow but sure
This one slipped on his driveway, could not endure
Her article makes waves, then just ripples in a lake
Tomorrow's news cycle and forgetfulness take
Does she make a difference in the trend flow?
The fish against the current who knew where to go.
I push Mom in a wheelchair, up a path in a park
We sit at the summit, and I rest on tree bark
There's a half-life to friends, it's hard to make more
As your boat approaches the terminal shore.
On her birthday we walked, I watched a hawk soar
Her cell phone rang, a shock was in store
It was the son of friend, a lady healthy and strong
She died that morning, it felt so wrong
She remembers when Dad died, its etched in her brain
He couldn't get words out, and we couldn't explain
The years spiral downward, and life's ripples fade
And yet for a time, a difference was made.
Copyright © Gideon Oknin | Year Posted 2025
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