Notes About The Poem

Today is my 50th birthday - Yikes!

Happy Birthday To Me

It's hard to say
How I came to this day

The chance of my birth's selection
Tending to fall close to elections

Four years ago, on my birthday, I lost some hope
Because she lost, although winning more votes

But now the process of democracy revived my faith
The best gift I could ask this November eighth

The me in my twenties would not have been fair
To this middle aged woman with extra weight and gray hair

She would have judged me a sad cliche
Hot tea and online poetry - old maid's play

Cooking shows and documentaries - what a bore!
She thought more about unrequited love's score

She despised football as a brutal, blood stained tower
Now I see it as chess with muscle, a ballet of power

It's true, I have now what I didn't before
A ring, a house, a family to care for

A long way from the single who burned TV dinners
A lot less cynical (though I wouldn't mind being thinner)

So to all you 'old maids' of sonnet and haiku
Welcome me! I'm one of you!

11/08/20
Copyright © | Year Posted 2020


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Date: 12/3/2020 3:21:00 AM
Beautifully penned. Happy belated Birthday Michelle. May you have many more.
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Date: 11/30/2020 10:26:00 AM
Love this!!! Happy belated <3<3<3
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Date: 11/16/2020 4:06:00 PM
Happy belated birthday, Michelle. Wishing you many more :)
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Date: 11/9/2020 2:04:00 PM
Cute!! Personally, it seems that we're quite lucky not to be '20 forever.' Maturity brings with it actual insight, as well as pursuit of worthy objectives. Happy 50th, Michelle, and many, many more, all in good health. :) gw
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Date: 11/8/2020 10:32:00 PM
Loved your letter to your 20-something self, how weird our lives now would have seemed to that long ago person, but change is good, right? Hope your birthday was rocking, Michelle (and I don't mean rocking CHAIR!) Great poem. ~ John
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Date: 11/8/2020 7:43:00 PM
I love this poem, Michelle! Haha! I welcome you with open "59" year old arms, my friend! We're both "old maids".. me too, with my tea, tapping away here on PS :)) So true how different our 20's self is compared to our 50's self. Your gifted witty pen captures it all so perfectly. Happy birthday wishes to you, Michelle!! A fav! ~Susan
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Susan Ashley
Date: 11/8/2020 9:44:00 PM
Absolutely nothing ;)
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Michelle Faulkner
Date: 11/8/2020 9:26:00 PM
Yep, we 'old maids' gotta stick together with our tea and poetry, and what's wrong with that?
Date: 11/8/2020 7:13:00 PM
Happy Birthday, Michelle! I turned the big 6-0 in October! Ten years goes all so fast so enjoy every minute!
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Michelle Faulkner
Date: 11/8/2020 9:24:00 PM
Funny, my sister also turned 60 in October - then broke her shoulder the next day (I'm not kidding, that really happened) Hope you stay intact, hah hah, thanks for commenting, Kim!
Date: 11/8/2020 3:55:00 PM
Hi Michelle, Happy Birthday, I hope you’re having a fantastic time with your family and friends ( as much you can in a safe environment):-) Alexis
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Michelle Faulkner
Date: 11/8/2020 9:21:00 PM
Yes this birthday has been a good one, thanks for commenting!
Date: 11/8/2020 1:03:00 PM
happy happy birthday. I actually loved my 50th. I still looked young. After 60, things get worse, so enjoy your 50's!! I did not change much in my general attitudes, talents, etc as I went from youth to today. But I have to say, I have turned into a conspiracy theorist, so for me, America is screwed no matter who won the election. I'm happy half the country is happy about it. I felt there were really no options for us. Nice learning more about you. I think Scorpios are COOL
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Michelle Faulkner
Date: 11/8/2020 9:21:00 PM
After this long horrible year I'm hoping 50 will be better - thank you kindly for all your interesting comments, Andrea!
Date: 11/8/2020 10:30:00 AM
Happy birthday! Reaching 50 is an accomplishment many will never reach, especially in a land where there are millionaires and corporations that pay no taxes creating a wide gap between rich and poor, so do celebrate your good fortune (and outright luck in evading the wildfires)! Watch rugby - you may enjoy it more than football! Aloha! Rico
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Michelle Faulkner
Date: 11/8/2020 9:19:00 PM
I'm not sure about rugby, but I may give it a chance, thanks for the suggestion, Rico~
Date: 11/8/2020 10:15:00 AM
Happy Birthday Michelle. I am 49 and reading your poems it seems I wrote it for myself. Enjoyed reading your poem. Take care friend. Regards, Rama
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Michelle Faulkner
Date: 11/8/2020 9:18:00 PM
For me, I spent most of my 49th year dreading turning 50 - and now I guess it's no big deal :) Thanks for commenting!
Date: 11/8/2020 9:31:00 AM
Hope you are having a great birthday Michelle. Tom
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Michelle Faulkner
Date: 11/8/2020 9:16:00 PM
Thank you for your visit, Tom!
Date: 11/8/2020 9:19:00 AM
Beautiful gems sparkle through your words--about how we change as we age. Cooking shows and documentaries I really love --getting old is fun! Happy Birthday Michelle--you are not old!!
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Michelle Faulkner
Date: 11/8/2020 9:15:00 PM
I still feel (mostly) the same, though I can't eat spicy food after 7 pm anymore :(
Date: 11/8/2020 8:16:00 AM
Natural...enjoyed the read...Happy birthday to you too...Well done
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Michelle Faulkner
Date: 11/8/2020 8:34:00 AM
Thanks for stopping by, Arturo~
Date: 11/8/2020 7:38:00 AM
aww Michelle what a wonderful birthday gift you received with numpty trumpty heading for a great fall, loved your witty poem , I hope you have a fabuous day and can celebrate as much as you can with family and friends even if it is only via the internet you can still have fun and celebrate properly when the world is a safer place for all:-) hugs to you and your hubby Jan xx
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Michelle Faulkner
Date: 11/8/2020 7:45:00 AM
Aw, thank you Jan, yes I plan to be completely selfish and do what I want to do today :)
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