You’ve grown older with these years.
Sagged into them, your worn out chair,
too comfortable to discard.
I have too.
Now there are knots in these bones.
A lattice work of knuckle and knobble
and I cannot help you to your feet
propel you across the kitchen sidestep,
kick, flick, turn and lift!
jitterbug us into three am.
I cannot swagger with the same strength
of 1970s rock’n’roll
disco room dance floors.
We are old together it seems.
These feet became stepping stones.
Smaller ones, with laughing mouths
who clutch the knuckles and knobbles
without thought.
We were always old to them.
They are young,
and so very youthful,
and I will show them
how we danced.
This Tuesday’s DVerse Poet’s Pub prompt is a corker! Write a poem from the point of view of someone who’s not your gender. Check the challenge out for yourself and see what the other Pub Poets have in store!
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Published by Carol J Forrester
Carol J Forrester is a writer and a history geek. Her debut collection 'It's All In The Blood' came out November 2019.
She has a 2:1 BA degree in history from Bath Spa University, enjoys judo at least twice a week, and tries to attend poetry events around the Midlands when she can.
Her flash fiction story ‘Glorious Silence’ was named as River Ram Press’ short story of the month for August 2014 and her short story ‘A Visit From The Fortune Teller’ has been showcased on the literary site Ink Pantry. Her poems ‘Sunsets’ and ‘Clear Out‘ were featured on Eyes Plus Words, and two of her poems were included in the DVerse Poets Pub Publication ‘Chiaroscuro’ which is available for purchase on amazon.Her poem ‘Until The Light Gets In‘ was accepted and published at The Drabble and her poem ‘Newborn’ was published by Ink Sweat & Tears.
She has been lucky enough to write guest posts for sites such as Inky Tavern and Song of The Forlorn and has hosted a number of guest bloggers on her site Writing and Works.
View all posts by Carol J Forrester
Nice telling of the aging together process…from blue jeans to knuckle and knobble…and this could be from either point of view..his or hers. Love still intact.
Thanks for the comment. I don’t think I quite achieved the aim of the prompt but it’s good to hear that the piece has been enjoyed.
The POV seems trans or mid-gender, but the message is clarion. Now that so many of us who run with the dVerse dog poets are so long in the tooth, this piece resonates strongly.
Thank you for the comment. I really struggling with how to put a male spin on this piece so I just focused on trying not to make it seem too feminine.
I thought this was lovely!! The aging process applies to both genders and there is a perfect example of that in your verse 🙂
Lots of love,
Sanaa
Thank you, I’m really glad you think so. I’ll be honest and say that a lot of the inspiration for this ended up coming from my mother’s parents.
Life here in this verse sounds challenging but it sounds very loving
I’m glad that came across.
This is very poignant really! I hear his ‘voice’ very clearly! Age manages to catch up with us all.
Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed the poem.
Show them how you danced, love the aging process of both man and woman ~ I also thought you did well with the “older” voice specially the worn out chair and knots in the bones ~
Thank you. It seems I managed to hit older more than opposite with the prompt.
I think it’s wonderful… I could see/hear my parent’s voices in this, and I think it fits the prompt perfectly. I especially love “these feet became stepping stones” such a strong, telling image.
Thank you. It’s lovely to hear someone saying that it fits the prompt.
love how you showed that though the body ages the spirit remains youthful
Thank you. 🙂
I like the thought of dancing together.. I felt myself in that voice.. So it can’t be too wrong.
WeLL.. at 55..
i SHOW
tHEm
how
to dance
and can
prove it
too.. heHE..
and it starts
with the divine
feminine of grace
first before man reAlly
comes
aLive
ribs
and
ALL..;)
A lovely poem of nostalgia. I’m not sure it hits the prompt – more of a gender-blender, but valid for all that!
I know, I really struggled with the prompt, but I’m glad to see so many people enjoying the poem.
I LOVE the last three lines … so, so, so much.
Also this:
“Now there are knots in these bones.
A lattice work of knuckle and knobble”
Knuckle and knobble is perhaps by favourite bit of the whole poem. I like rolling the words around when I say them. 🙂
I liked this very much. Could definitely relate to it. Yes, we older than 20 somethings still have things we can show and do. I’m still good for a couple of disco tunes! My husband and I do ballroom dancing. We aren’t as sharp as the younglings, but we can still cut up. Excellent write! and I love the background for your website.
Thank you. I’m fond of the background as well, it’s taken me most of the blog’s lifetime to find a theme that I really like. It’s nice to hear it getting compliments.
There is something about it that reminds me of artwork done in the early 1900’s, pre-1910. It is gorgeous.
I’m glad you think so.