KNOWING AGING

Whatever goes up, certainly will come down
So it is that the young will grow old
But that old age envelopes like a shade
In bits
Until it overtakes forms

II
Many a being have slept
…only to wake up with their youth missing
And go on a fruitless search which yields naught
But we must know the shades of aging

III
It comes like a skilled thief
You withdraw from the passions you once spearheaded
Wanting the calm and peace you detested
Then one grey hair rears its head at the roadside of your forehead
Followed by many others which call for concealment
So the dyeing to hide them begin

III
Then your joints begin to talk in unpleasant terms
Cracking and cackling at your locomotion
And locking your waist when you sit for long
To let others see your strain
Soldiering breasts, like pates which go bald, deceive with a bow
Then they eventually fall
…never to rise to stand by themselves again
The flat stomach turns into a balloon
…one life blows its anger airs into
That is when it starts
Your new address

IV
The “Young Girl” now turns into “Madam”, just as “Young man” is replaced by “Sir”
And if you’re lucky “Auntie” replaces “Sister”, or “Uncle” replaces “Brother”
Blunt callers push “Mama” or “Mma”, “Daddy” or “Paapa”
…on you
And in an argument, angry others will dump “Old Lady” or “Oluu” on you
But that is not all

V
It dawns on you
The fact that your end is nigh
It calls out to you
Voices of your end approaching
So you reflect and reflect
…and see parading youngsters as teasers
But the padlock of old age never breaks
…for your thoughts to pass through
And so you watch in anger

VI
Know aging is
…when you look into your mirror and find visiting wrinkles parading on your face
Know aging is
…when the bathroom calls your bowels like an insecure spouse, frequently
Knowing age is finding tiredness in your bloating self
…when you barely lift a self around
Know aging is
…when forgetfulness hits you to surprise your angry self
Knowing aging is looking for things
…only for you to find them in your use
Knowing aging comes not at once
It comes like a shameless thief
Bringing with it one trait after the other
It is sad but life
I guess we’ll be able to make peace
When we take our time
…our time to know aging
As and when it begins
…begins to take over
…over our mortal beings
Amoafowaa Sefa Cecilia © July 5, 2021