My age creeps
like a ghost, silent, sinful
eyes with bird wing creases
oozes out of its corners
deep crevasses from nose to chin
ruts in between the eyebrows
wrinkle cream slops on
day after day
night masks, stiff,sticky, peel-off
contemplate the mirror
ouch!
more remedies

Serious reflection
I scrutinize faces of women my age
compare to my own
but who ages gracefully?
someone buries poison in my genes

I mull over my close family photos
smack from both sides
my fate screams
father has worry wrinkles on his forehead
mother has a double chin
grandmother has floppy underarms

I persist to my Hungarian ancestry
beauty experts agree these young women are stunning
I explore older family photos
still I detect the same
creases, wrinkles, ruts, blotches
I weigh my options
surgery? fillers? Botox?
scary notions

I think I'll dream of those pretty young Hungarian women
let nature decide my fate