Understanding a woman
            Is like trying
to unscramble a scrambled egg

The temple bell stops -
but the sound keeps coming
out of the flowers.

Matsuo Basho

My almost grown grandsons
see only a stooped withered
old man when they look at me,
no clue of the young man I used
to be. Or where I have been, the
things I've done. They've only
known me like this. Even 20
years ago, when they were born
I was already a senior citizen.

In my mirror I also see what they
see and can barely recall that
once upon a time younger me.

Time and the elements move
on leaving erosion behind upon
mountains and people too.