Not Poetry. Quatrain Verse in English & Swedish. Dagsverser. On the Mundane & the Arcane.
Behold that fresh youthful look:
Youth’s upbeat breathless grin
crisp cover of unread book
sculptured, jutting out chin
Behold the wizened old look:
aging’s out-of-breath grin
thumbed cover of well read book
sagging skin, drooping chin
At which point cannot count on audacity
but hope for tenacity, veracity
who will not be hemmed in by confines
In an ever changing world
charges she, banner unfurled
She won’t just cheer on from the sidelines
There was this sharp determined student named Sarah
who ushered in a new academic era
Earned straight A:s by her own volition
wouldn’t follow family tradition
that until now of scholars dry as Sahara
Erstwhile kids, now grownups
galloping wildly
standing in own stirrups
Long now since childly
Ought not be arcane
let them be who they are
So give them free rein
and the chance to go far
Do free them, or would you rather
that they turn out like their father?
Defenders’ strong resistance ignored
by Sam in dazzling, rushed attack floored
Of opposing team awless
he served a pass so flawless
that even his Farfar could’ve scored
+)
-Sam: Our grandson, who provided the pivotal pass in the close 1-0 victory
-Farfar: grandfather in Swedish
Hey, as you’ve noticed, kids
due to your grownups’ misuse
the world is on the skids
Harsh, but what’s your own excuse?
Ponder the wider scope
beyond merely trope
perhaps you can still cope
be it on tightrope:
Ahead lie hard balancing acts
so don’t delay learning the facts!
Now leaps, sleep gotten shallow
pinched in vised senescence
While children sweetly callow
express their quintessence:
with the jounciest leap
as well the deepest sleep
We’re told that granddaughter Ellie, on a NYC field trip, craved tasting a ‘real’ bagel. While waiting in line (snaking half-around-the-block) to Katz’s Deli she ‘elliequently’ burst out: “Is this place any good?”
“Did she sweetly get nervous
fearing that the long wait
was just due to slow service
not bagels being great?”
The other year Ellie visited the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, and is said to have made this ‘ellitist’ remark:
“Well, it’s wholly holy
but of modest scale
in height rising lowly
but go ahead: wail!
So that’s all:
an old wall?”
On the same NYC trip as when Ellie snaked around Katz’s she also visited Wall Street, and perhaps congruently she reflected:
“Be it where they scam & cheat
where displaying grim gall:
Just another city street
lacking parking. That’s all!”
She’s the Katz’s meow!
O Bella, ciao!
Movements lithely flowing
cheerful their sincerity
Complexion, hope glowing
infused by hilarity
They bring about deep affection
finding foothold on their path
in youth’s but fleeting perfection
shielded so far from Life’s wrath
Viewed from the perch of aging
found so deeply engaging
Narrow roads edge dusty deep ravines
up & down, contorting, twisting
slicing faded cliffs more brown than green
Curve following curve, persisting
With tenuous roadway traction
cars squeezing mere feet apart
no place to indulge distraction
where driving a martial art
Just guessing at what’s up ahead
heedless of ravine-plunging dread
Cresting cliffs, mindless of ravines
in youth we indulged aspiration
silly fantasies, hopes & dreams
Then woke up from exhilaration
On whatever life’s journey bestowed
winding roads shall turn less thrilling
Time, strength, guts & prospects all erode
aging’s rain drizzles bone chilling
Just beyond the very next bend
awaits too soon our journey’s end