Precautions For Advancing Years

Each time I feel I am growing old And directly or indirectly of it, I am told, I tell myself-‘What is gone cannot be retrieved' Though to me, old has ever been and always gold You cannot reverse time's swift current In its wake come sudden changes many In dress, manners, concepts, values and what not Do not oppose change, though it may annoy With progressive intensity and constancy You will lose your wit, sense and sight So think before you speak, look before you leap Lest you head into deep trouble straight Friends, colleagues and even your own children May grow disrespectful and indifferent And may not consult you in matters vital But try not to see it as a serious affront. Weakness of the body will lead you to irritation But control yourself and try to keep cool If annoyed, keep away from the scene, do not interfere ‘Live and let live'- may it be the guiding rule Eat not everything that tempts your palate Control your food and restrain your urge For your digestive system may break down And you may soon become a pestering scourge! Within your body may dwell a spirit, still so agile (Though with age, your torso grows consistently frail) Prompting you to youthful acts and deeds of daring But remember, one false step can land you in peril If your eyesight is not seriously impaired Into the pages of good books you leisurely pore They will open new worlds and amuse n' delight And you'll never find those timeless tomes a bore Or if you can string words in some coherent order With weird fancies and a little imagination to accompany Write poetry! Then none will see you an intruder Wedded to solitude, you'll never groan for company! Once with the Muse, nothing will ever disturb you On fancy's wings, to magic lands you can easily commute Swim across an ocean, climb a mountain or elope with a damsel, Lost to the world, to all its fret n' fever…. so blissfully lost!