Over the Hill

For: Diane

They say you'll be wrinkled and ugly and gray
They say you can't help it - just happens that way

What once was a twinkle now looks like a stye
I think it's because of bags under your eyes

The waistline just rises (you lose it you see)
Flat hips drop the seat of your pants to your knees

Your hemline will lower (remember - no thighs)
At least it will cover those"Old folk" knee-highs

It saves lots of time when you start to get dressed
There isn't a soul left you care to impress

The kinfolk will gather and won't know your name
'Cause us over forty - we all look the same

The mind will go next but don't fret it they say
I don't think you know it - just happens that way.

Welcome home, baby sister
We know how you feel.
You're "last but not least"
To be over the hill.

X-mas

I think I'm altogether, then again--

I lose my mind

Amid the strains of music

That I hear at Christmastime

There's "Peace on Earth - Good Will to Men"

I'm filled with joy and love

As I remember God who sent His Son from up above.

And then along comes Santa Claus

Rewards upon his back

Knowing that I wasn't good - yet opening up his pack

And then they will play "Silent Night"

Which brings tears to my eyes

But soon the sound of jingling bells

Will drive that from my mind.

I want to bow my head in prayer and sing

"Oh Holy Night"

But when I close my eyes there's dancing sugar

plums in sight.

I think we need to start anew and re-arrange

our lives

And pack up all this "Santa Claus with all its

little lies"

I think it's time we dared, don't you, to take a

firmer stand

A stand for truth and honor, time to be a better

man.

I think the young want us to see

What they already know

They need parents to grow up

They grew up long ago.

Lord…

I feel like such a failure with my children.

They look to me for guidance

and find a floundering, insecure child instead.

Sometimes I feel they're the adult

and I the child.

Help me to remember that all knowledge comes from you,

that parents are but representatives of your wisdom and love,

that we are all your children

in different stages of learning and growth.

Remind me that I am to be

what I want them to become...

And thank you for listening to me with such patience,

as I should be showing mine.

Time

Daddy's shadow touched the pages

of a book I read last night.

Mama frowns at me from mirrors

as I smooth my wrinkles out.

Someone else's child is sleeping

in my toddler's bed again,

And I sigh at the reflection

of my daughter's favorite grin.

Now this stranger in my body

goes through motions of my day.

Father Time has paid a visit

while I looked the other way.