As the house crumbles
I quake, I shake, I stand
in the ruins of my life.

Reality bursts into existence
as I grasp for resistance,
I am a revival a ghost
of my shadows.

All that remains is ash,
six feet of ruble dirt rocks
and struggles.

I once tried digging for gold
only to find charcoal and oil,
the grinding gears sparked
and lit a fire.

I pop and creak,
I fell apart at the seems.

Age is an old friend,
it leaves me wrinkles
strength and growth.

My hair is a testament
to my stress,
gray is half way out of
the war, white is half in
the grave, ash is both
it can go both ways.

I hit the dirt running
and I keep going,
I jumped into the river
and I road the tide,
I dove deep into the ocean
of my life blew bubbles as
I rose and climbed into the boat.

I swam in my dreams,
wishing for a life I can
only imagine but reality
hit me hard and I woke
in the mud my boat
got stuck.

I've been here for awhile.

©️ 2023 By Amanda Shelton