With Heartfelt Appreciation To Poetry Soup and Soupers

At the age of but ten, I didn't open a lemonade stand I was afraid to ask my dad for permission At the age of twenty, I was scared to ask out my honey I couldn't face the thought of rejection At the age of thirty, I didn't stay in the Holy Land I lacked requisite faith in Israel's mission At the age of forty, I didn't leave town upon divorcing I didn't quite trust my intuition At the age of fifty, I didn't start my own school I didn't have the guts to follow my passion At the age of sixty, I kept postponing health decisions I put my trust in hopin' and wishin' Then on the way to retirement I joined Poetry Soup And thanks to my new friends' kind words of nutrition I write poems like this-- Of my own free will and volition