When I was only five.
My dolls were the big thing,
we would sit and sing.
Then my tricycle I learned to drive.
At fifteen I was dating.
Boys were sure fickle,
some of their words were like a pickle.
We loved to go roller skating.
Now thirty is life half over?
Today is a new day,
no more hair of gray.
Maybe I need a new makeover.
At fifty should I retire?
Many days are way too long,
is life a game of ping-pong?
Some days I feel like I want to expire.
I never thought I would reach seventy.
Here I am,
drinking hot tea and eating strawberry jam.
Seventy is fun and not my enemy.
Sir, I hear you are looking to hire
If so, I’m your man. I can help you retire
Excellent, young fellow, though it sounds too good to be true
Well, sir, after taking a good, long look at you ...
Back to work after 3 weeks off
Got a taste of retirement
Do I like it?
I don’t know
Get up when I want
No schedule
Eat whenever I want
And whatever I want
Go wherever I want
Freedom
Got a taste of freedom
But is it freedom?
Is it freedom when you have to watch what you spend?
Is it freedom when you watch your waistline
and see it going east and west?
Is it freedom when you have to be the one who makes the contact
for either friendship or advice
as you have no one to talk to
as everyone is either at work
or work from home?
Freedom freedom
I want freedom
I want it now so I can enjoy it
before I get so sick and can’t go anywhere
I want it now now that I have the time and the money
so that I can enjoy it
Yes friend I am all for it
If you can enjoy it without the headache and the worry
of where your money goes
and whether it will be enough
to take you by
Don’t retire if you have these worries
Not worth it
Work until you can’t work it no more
Or until you are the one who is calling the shots
Or until God takes you home
Whichever the earliest and the fastest
Go with that route
As for me - I would be the one who calls the shots
Or Am I?
There's a light out
that's never been fixed
A stain on the side of the water cooler
No notices
or no one cares
This is life
This is the place I come daily
but it's not my home
Might as well throw a small cot in here
The old fluorescent light is now LED
It is brighter
Less harsh on my eyes
When will they replace me
with something more long lasting
A mindless thug I am
bouncing around the office
I engage in conversations
but rarely listen or absorb
Maybe I am too selfish
Will I miss this place when I retire
maybe shed a tear
Kinda funny that I may cry over something
that sucked up years of my life
for money I will never see
I met a retired Soldier,
I met a retired Doctor,
I met a retired Teacher—
But I’ve never met a retired Preacher.
I learnt what respect truly means,
The weight of pain and quiet devotion,
The love behind being a soldier—
Dying for a nation that might forget you.
Even retiring feels like a battle won.
The Doctor too saves lives,
Sweating with a racing heart,
Carrying the hopes of a whole family,
Knowing they believe: “He will save them.”
And bearing the pain of saying,
“I’m sorry… we lost him.”
The Teacher was only loved
By the students inside the classroom.
Underrated by both government and community—
Yet holds the power to change them both.
Still, he shapes tomorrow with a parent's care.
The Preacher is like a debt collector.
His sainthood makes him almost divine.
He leads with calm and faithful words—
Gaining little bits here and there,
While the believer holds onto every promise.
So, I chose to learn.
To grow into a Teacher,
To be loved by my students,
To shape a world we all dream of.
And through the Preacher—
To learn how to give hope.
for all my days
i have gone mad
i have been mad for such years
he had been laid down
the young man in his green overcoat
fresh as spearmint spring
dyed it red
dyed it black
dyed it blue
and dyed it back
to his thread’s pastoral hue
and died
at the feet of Maria in prayer
she knelt on his body
and prayed “Hell for his Soul!”
The saviour cried, “it is finished!”
My heart was crossed
and so, I live in St. Bethlehem
I will never retire I vowed
To relatives, strangers, any old crowd
God heard me and laughed; He would have it His way
Pulled the rug out from under my health, I am retired today
I wanna retire but I’m barely hanging on.
Lost the fire in my belly but I still log on.
Working hard every day, dreaming to be free,
But can’t afford it in this economy.
Slaving in a sweat shop singing the blues,
Ain’t got time for a Caribbean cruise.
I wanna retire but I’m barely hanging on,
Wondering where all my freedom has gone.
The price of eggs has me crying foul,
But Uncle Sam turns a deaf ear when I yowl.
Where O where have my tax dollars gone?
I wanna retire but I’m barely hanging on.
Seems so strange to spend on climate change,
When me and my friends got no pocket change.
I wanna retire but I’m barely hanging on.
Will freedom be taxed until it's all gone?
Got a raise last week and was feeling good,
Until a gang burnt up my neighborhood.
Fentanyl is killing and our borders long gone.
I wanna retire but I’m barely hanging on.
Got a raise last week and was feeling good,
Until a peaceful gang burned my neighborhood.
I wanna retire but I’m barely hanging on.
Barely…, barely…, barely,
…Hanging…
on
I was never going to retire.
I will be dragged out in a body bag at ninety-two I told everyone.
God laughed at my silliness.
He made the drive more difficult, harrowing drivers who almost kill me daily.
He gave me asthma in the hardest way possible.
I took twelve sick days in January and February.
God turned my asthma into pneumonia twice.
Showing me that I am not the boss of me.
I realized that it was time for me to give up my job.
I am retiring in twelve days.
This means no more forty-five-minute drive each way to work.
And I will not have to leave my home in the winter, so that is nice.
It took me a long time to agree that this is going to be the best for me.
I will be 72 years young on May 31st.
Retiring June 1st.
It was time.
Thank you God.
Sunshine glistens through the oaks and pines, trees
Revealing the wonders of God’s sweet light
Hearts reminded of those who’re so at ease
Washing away the cares who’re just not right
Since we’re yearning for the joy in leisure
Revealing the wonders of God’s sweet light
Relaxing brings us our greatest pleasure
Twisting dreams so we are clearly inspired
Since we’re yearning for the joy in leisure
Unsure what it feels like to be retired
Set for the sweetness of doing nothing
Twisting dreams so we are clearly inspired
Comforted by the repose of this thing
Where the heart rains hopeful inspirations
Set for the sweetness of doing nothing
Heartened to feel the sing-song sensations
Sunshine glistens through the oaks and pines, trees
Where the heart rains hopeful inspirations
Hearts reminded of those who’re so at ease
A boss can The Vigorous retire
While the latter is still a live wire,
His arms still sinewy, his feet sound tires:
The one who vibrant kids sires...
A boss can send home his firm's tears' dryer:
Saver of company's cars from mire,
It doesn't have to die down: 'the fire'
Nor does it need to corrode 'the wire'.
Then, your arguments could hearers tire
And, dragged too long, make you little liar;
Ones clearly seeking a confused buyer,
Wherefore you could not but go that higher...
Bosses mostly retire The Tired
And when they do they have them just fired!
Number 42 Retire
Brooklyn Dodgers Number 42
Hang up your jersey, honey
No one can follow you after Jackie Robinson
Major League Baseball was uplifted into the outer sphere
When Jackie Robinson was brave enough
And brazen enough to try….
Major League Baseball had been closed to people of color
Jackie’s prowess, professionalism and success changed
The way people in the USA thought about all sports.
Thank goodness.
He paved the way for
black football players and basketball players too
I wonder if he ever knew?
Okay let’s pretend that I retire. Now what?
It might be okay for the first four weeks.
That is how long I can stand summer break.
It’s week five. I am running out of writing material.
I need to be back in school
My go-to-place for ideas.
Where ideas fall off backpacks into my lap.
Where children throw hilarity into my life daily.
Where teachers have no idea how many poems
they will be starring in by tonight.
For me retirement would be as smooth
As jumping from a sixty-three foot cliff
In to a pack of hungry wild coyotes.
WE WILL ROCK YOU
Growing older
Pushing his boulder
Sisyphus retired to the valley
And there he yearned
To be the ball return
In the bowling alley
retirement...
final living expense...
more pajamas
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