In the depths of pain, my heart lies torn,
As if I’ve faltered, failed, and mourned.
This heavy burden holds me tight,
I cry for relief, for a ray of light.
My thoughts, they wander, back in time,
To see my dad, once strong, now past his prime.
Gray-haired, frail, and with oxygen in hand,
He stays confined, bedridden, life's demand.
His suffering, a slow and bitter blow,
I watch him fade, and tears freely flow.
My heart, in anguish, beats with sorrow,
Helplessly witnessing his tomorrows.
The image of him, once so bold,
Now suffering, as life unfolds.
A sadness grips, my heart in pain,
Through tearful eyes, I‘ll forever see his name.
I long to halt this painful tide,
To find the strength, stand tall with pride,
But the path ahead is unclear,
I'm lost, afraid, holding fear.
R.I.P. Daddy 4/8/68-8/29/23
K.M. 7/28/23
Categories:
gray haired, cancer, depression, emotions, father,
Form: Free verse
The gray-haired feel as blessed on sunny days
as those as yet untouched by Time's harsh ways.
Spring rains transform the earth from brown to green
for young and old and all those in-between.
Like nature, love is powerful. Its part
in every life thrives deep within the heart.
Romance exists not only for the young.
Love's words don't fall just from the youthful tongue.
The seasoned love can be as strong and sweet,
though stimulated less by passion's heat.
The rose is sweet in smooth or wrinkled hand,
as is the worn or shiny wedding band.
Categories:
gray haired, age, appreciation, love,
Form: Couplet
She claims that when she was a child,
all that she craved mocked and beguiled.
The cool kids wouldn't play with her;
the others--she did not prefer.
In school and college, praise she'd earned
all went to others; she was spurned.
Then working days were just as grim.
Her chances to excel were slim.
The higher-ups all failed to see
how great an asset she could be.
Her colleagues' efforts to befriend
fell short, and she would never bend.
Her love relationships went sour,
each leaving her depressed and dour.
She hoped in her retirement years
that friendship would assuage her fears.
As time wore on, no neighbors came.
She cries and feels they are to blame.
This gray-haired hermit sits and groans.
"The world defeated me," she moans.
May 11, 2023
Contest Name: Anatomy of Melancholy
Sponsor: Craig Cornish
Categories:
gray haired, dark, sad,
Form: Couplet
QUOTE BY CHARLES MESSINA
"Two doves in white flying, feathers glow beneath the morning's rainbow colors"
The morning showed the orange Sun glowing
As the reflections of a silver gleaming upon the waters
Green grass sparkling with small drops dripping
Through the trees were brown squirrels jumping
The white waterfall falling into a rushing river
A white-headed eagle resting upon her nest
With her gray-haired babies chirping
At the end of the rainbow was a golden bucket
Next to it a small man dressed in green
Yelling:
I want me Gold
(Not for Contest just a fun write)
Categories:
gray haired, color,
Form: Rhyme
Gray haired man hobbling down the hall
Forty years of pictures hanging on the wall
From diapers to kindergarten and their very first bike
That time at the beach when we flew our first kite
Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts, T-Ball & soccer
Dressed up on Halloween as a little punk rocker
Camping trips & Disney World more than I can count
These were my best years without a doubt
Grammar school, high school, college then gone
Married your sweethearts & have your own little home
A timeline of treasures with family and friends
It seems like yesterday when we first moved in
As I gaze over the memories of the ones I adore
A tiny little human comes crawling on the floor
Grandpa! I love you! The little child speaks
As the tears of joy flows down my wrinkled cheeks.
Categories:
gray haired, age, blessing, children, emotions,
Form: Rhyme
I cried tears of anguish for the burgeoning.
Tears and sobbing aren't prospering.
I regret all the rambunctious ineptness.
Silver hair and a large head are worthless.
My youth was pillaged, yet my heart tried to beat.
Pulling leaves from a branch is a fun treat.
Is it possible to reclaim my youth?
To tell him the breed of gray-haired man couth.
Categories:
gray haired, analogy, childhood, conflict, destiny,
Form: Couplet
I look at that old picture hanging stately on the wall
Old Gray-haired Granny’s apon, the glue that stuck it all
It’s faded, almost white, as the years battered the brown
Days are few, indeed, when grandma’s apron wasn’t around
I know that spot on her bosom, where I lay my little head
That apron wiped away many a tear that stained every
thread
It did its duty as a blanket that kept little babies warm
A pad, to hold a coffee pot at breakfast on an early morn
A flag to scatter the chickens from the old weathered door
Carried eggs to the kitchen, lifted tea pitchers, pots, pan galore
It became a grip to open a jar, never seemed to strain
Even doubled as an umbrella to keep off a summer rain
Just an old apron, the fabric stained and rough
It was the tool of all tools, in her world good enough
Categories:
gray haired, appreciation, grandmother,
Form: Rhyme
An old, gray-haired emir from Yemen
Preferred courting underage women,
He kept a list
Of those he kissed
Banished those he considered a lemon.
written June 26, 2021
Categories:
gray haired, humorous, sexy,
Form: Limerick
I used to see a red-haired woman
Mornings when I walked.
We’d nod hello but otherwise,
We’d never really talked.
When Covid struck, I left my house
When every single street
Was empty, super-early so
No passers-by I’d meet.
I stuck to this new schedule
Once others had returned.
What happened to my red-haired friend
This morning I’ve just learned.
We passed each other, recognition
Dawning with a grin,
Then each of us removed our hats,
Revealing that within…
Two heads of hair, once red and brown,
Were now both shades of gray –
Hers silvery and mine more white
But proudly on display.
A little conversation
Did establish we were fine.
We parted ways – two gray-haired ladies,
Natural by design.
Categories:
gray haired, hair,
Form: Rhyme
MY LIFE
I’M TIRED OF THIS THING CALLED LIFE
MY PROBLEMS I CANT SOLVE
CAN’T BELIEVE THAT I AM READY TO DIE
BUT DEATH WILL END IT ALL
GLANCING BACK ON YEARS THAT’S OLE
NOW I CAN HONESTLY SAY
AS A CHILD I TREASURED LIFE
I REALLY DO MISS THOSE DAYS
WHY IS LIFE SO MEANINGLESS
FOR THAT’S ONE THING I WILL NEVER KNOW
BEING BORN SO DELICATE SMOOTH
AND DYING WITHERED OLD
MAYBE THINGS IN LIFE THAT IS A HASSLE
I MIGHT AS WELL LET THEM GO
FOR I MGHT NOT DIE JUST SO SOON
I MIGHT LIVE TO BE GRAY-HAIRED OLE
Categories:
gray haired, angel, anxiety,
Form: Rhyme
hey, everybody, this is old Billy Bob, here
over there in them cute Billy Jeans
well, I just woke up this morning
and looked up towards the sky blue mirror
meanwhile, down the road,
I see an image of old gray-haired Billy goat
just chewing on some maple oats and hay
looked like he was chewing on some cherry tobacco
I got a little bit closer for inspection and
watch Mr. goat spite some cherry tobacco in a tin can
and right about then, I was kicked in the rear end
while some people would say - I was kicked in the tailpipe.
Unfortunately, I was kicked by some crazy jackass
down yonder, from tupelo, county, Mississippi
you know what
I should've never looked
at myself in that damn
crazy ass sky mirror this morning
you know what - chicken butt
hey, I just got hog tied up again
Dag Nabit...shucks!
give everybody a big hug
thank you...very much!
Categories:
gray haired, humor, humorous, image, imagery,
Form: Free verse
When young folks, say, “Time’s on my side,” they’re right.
Fulfilling opportunities await
the teens and twenty-somethings who delight
in knowing that their future can be great.
When thirty-somethings change the path they chose
ten years before, time still is on their side,
but there’s a sense of urgency. Each knows
constraints of passing time can’t be denied.
Some restless middle-aged ones haven’t found
what they want most. Their chances to fulfill
their dreams are fading. Doubts and fears abound.
Hope hovers between faltering and nil.
The gray-haired, discontented ones who dwell
on goals not met because time wouldn’t wait
for them would be the perfect ones to tell
the young, “Don’t linger till it is too late.”
Date: December 1, 2019
Contest Title: Your Best New Poem
Sponsor: Emile Pinet
Categories:
gray haired, time,
Form: Quatrain
The Bowman's Shaft
Solo archer gathers mist of amour clouds, dipping venturous arrow tips in a veiled concocted potion, drowning its mettle in a whimsical bliss of a dreamt liquefied mirage that defines the elixir,
Cupids errant arrow is liberated openly o'er the arc of a rainbow, exuberantly hunting its e'er sought Terra, whereto, it scarcely flutters passed feathered twain turtledoves,
Trifle off-track as projected, titillating a canine whose tail waggles unceasingly as its tongue laps remarkable welcoming faces,
Then piercingly redefines a right-angle course, that mids passionately, a well-managed bramble with shoots flowering in vivid red velvets,
Calculably sailing o'er gray-haired couple, whose one hand hugging canes and their free hands locking each other,
Promised target a fused-kissed envelope proffering treasured eloquence of, Missing You, in numerous expressions, introducing assorted confidences perceived by yearning intrepid bluish eyes whose heart grows e'er fonder.
2019 November 04
*2nd Place*
Metaphor of Love
~~Bobby May
Categories:
gray haired, i love you, i
Form: Free verse
Mr. and Mrs. Gray-Haired Wonder
You’ve got it going on.
Up at the crack of dawn.
You’ve got lightning…. you’ve got thunder.
Slow life down a little bit
so, you’ll have plenty more of it,
Mr. and Mrs. Gray-Haired Wonder.
10/4/19
Picture #1
Make it Seven'
Sponsor: Joseph May
Categories:
gray haired, age, appreciation, character,
Form: Rhyme
There once was a gray-haired old lady.
Her name was Miss Irma McGrady.
As sweet as can be
was little old she,
but at bingo she’d act rather shady.
Categories:
gray haired, funny, humor, old,
Form: Limerick
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