Go East, Old Man - May 23, 2025

walk west after sunrise

and you’ll catch your shadow

in stride

see the hips swag

swinging pendulums of arms

and the head jiggle

with each throw of the leg

mine looks fine, for now

though the waist swivel

is a bit painful, shoulders have

started to sag and the length

of each step has shortened

I think of 83, 10 years from now

as everything stiffens and aches

and the flexibility of my walk

will look like a stroll through

molasses, 20 years later, honey

at some point, I’ll make sure to

face the sun on my morning stroll

and figure out a way

to circle back home

without a shadow ruining my day