Becoming a Centurion

Will Bernard make it to 100 and write

the poem of his life?

he’s ninety nine  I’m seventy two

to be in his league I still have 28 years

of poetry to go  many thousands of clever

lyrics with bold plots  ever wider points of view

new rhythms  adventurous word choices

lots of unexpected twists of the wrist

by my count 1,456 poems for class

another 8,736 for Poetry Rock

leaving no stone in my life unexamined

every wrinkled thought ironed out

not one cloud allowed to pass

without written permission

my poetry will be my memoir

and the last word unreadable

from the tear it will be written on

if I feel 100 years was long enough

or maybe I’ll realize then

ten thousand poems was nothing

for the million moments of a life