#elder
I was born with an ornament —
you say I am smart enough
to make someone understand.
It seems like a present,
but it’s a sin.
Nobody was with me
to see my tears.
Soon the pillow carried
all the pain and screaming.
Yet it’s still too hard
to say I am weak —
an ornament you believe
is strong and smart enough
to understand everything.
Nobody ever hugged me
or asked,
“Say your problems,
I am with you.”
Dec 3, 2025
Dec 3, 2025 at 4:52 AM UTC
After darkness fell, stars shone on the outside.
On Chestnut Street, he came to her bedside.
He sat by her deathbed, feeding her soup.
Her pale thin lips barely covered the spoon.
He told her stories he’s told her before.
She tries to breathe with ribs frail and sore.
After many hours, she falls gently asleep.
He hears her last breath and prays God, her soul, will keep.
Mar 7, 2025
Mar 7, 2025 at 8:07 PM UTC
The Clock has gone to bed
So have the Bell and Chime
And such has ceased all hours to pass
Beyond the boundary of Time.
The Twilight holds you — tender
To cheek you turned to foe
And so now becomes forever,
The Stag becomes a Doe.
O, Heart as gentle as the nascent Fawn
Who gets lost on familiar paths:
"If only to reminisce" — it jests
"Or chance upon greener grass."
Nov 24, 2024
Nov 24, 2024 at 6:07 AM UTC
she comes to everyone eventually
lies with you on polished hospital beds
watches over your crib as you’re fast asleep
loves you like a mother loves her newborn
tends to your tribulations, to your shortcomings, never judging
then soon, she gives you grief for tiny little mistakes you make
she insults your frame in the mirror
gawks at the insecurities that haunt you
makes all your surroundings seem like ginormous threats
heats you up with angst and tells you to deal with the real world
later, she’ll settle down
she’ll patch up the tarnished image she left of you with bill payments and mortgages
she’ll start poking you with sticks and bricks, making your back slouch in pain
she’ll be fake nice to you once in a while, other times she’ll shame you for taking a cheat day
she’ll tear you down limb to limb, bone to bone, leaving little room to try to grow
finally, she’ll leave you couches to sit on while the television sizzles, the only entertainment left for you
won’t lend any help or support for your medical bills and visits
will creep around the corner slowly, telling you to breathe, keep breathing, just keep breathing
she’ll try to reach you, but your frail bones and blinded eyes won’t be able to see her hand outstretched in the dark
she will witness your last moments with an absentminded smile
knowing **** well she loved you, but she was never able to stop to tell you
Jul 30, 2022
Jul 30, 2022 at 11:15 AM UTC
Younger wanting to be older
Older wanting to be young
Child wishing to be bigger
Bigger wishing to be thinner
Teen wanting a clearer face
Clearer face wanting a better body
People lamenting bad hair days
Bad hair days replaced with no hair days. . .
We diss what we have
Wish for what we lack
When what we have is gone
Oh, what we'd give to have it back!
Youthful desires for future yearning
Future bearing down like a train
Elders' memories of past unnerving
Hit by a train never the same
Mark Toney © 2020
Oct 7, 2020
Oct 7, 2020 at 12:25 AM UTC
The dragon dance of death,
Born in silent Wuhan
Round and round far it goes,
Filling ballrooms of Rome
Hip Hop, Tap, Rock and Roll
Taking breaths of poor souls
Healthy youth fit to dance,
Saving our elder lives.
May 19, 2020
May 19, 2020 at 1:07 AM UTC
sugar cane berry stains
lost friends life's bends
mountain still, in the end
there and back, i've been
we were kids, you were teens
we learned a lot, what we've seen
one more shot before we go
that sacred breath you always know-
when to call it a day
Apr 6, 2020
Apr 6, 2020 at 11:48 AM UTC
Her platinum blonde hair was a firm
spunky Irish when she was a kid
And compelled me to wish for time travel
as I have loved her since she's existed
She says she'll table dance if she wins
All for a package of crackers I'd have
never kicked her out of bed for eating
Says if I'm lucky she'll pick Mardi Gras beads
I told her that from her wedding picture
Veronica Lake had nothing on her
She said straight into my transparent heart:
"I've had a good life"
. . .and I was lucky
Dec 27, 2018
Dec 27, 2018 at 12:24 PM UTC
Open up your doors
The soul of the elder
Rusted keys chirp
Under prints small flutter
Fly into the heavens
Songbird of far
Death until morning
Follow knight’s star
Nov 25, 2018
Nov 25, 2018 at 9:23 PM UTC
She's always been like a tree,
Rooted and strong.
The resemblance
Only grew with her age.
The wrinkles of her face-
Hard and intricate bark;
And her wisdom reaching-
Branches offering shade
Jul 14, 2018
Jul 14, 2018 at 12:52 PM UTC
I’m waddling around with wattles.
Nothing in a bottle will change that.
Not buying a better looking hat
Or a brighter, tighter shirt.
My childhood left in the dirt,
I’m an old man! I do what I can
To not look like a wino under a bridge;
A smidge of aftershave so I don’t stink
And people don’t think I’m decaying.
What I’m saying is, I’m getting old.
Graying smudges among the gold.
This is me. This is what I see daily
When I glance gaily into my mirror
Expecting the guy as young as I feel.
He isn’t real. An old guy sneaked in
Again, and I wish I hadn’t peeked.
Oh well, this isn’t really hell.
I have never thought I was hot,
One of those handsome lads that had
Everyone’s heads turning for them.
I had dim hope there for a while
But, no matter how much I smile
Nothing wins like smooth skin
Broad shoulders and big pecs.
I mean, I was not a wreck, but not
As I said, even a little bit hot.
Oh well, I got what I got, true?
Can I or you ever defeat genetics?
Like father like son, and mother,
Creates another generation of us;
Nice guys and gals, but plain,
And this old man is what remains.
May 11, 2018
May 11, 2018 at 2:37 PM UTC
Son screamed
‘When will you grow up, Dad!’
Father nodded in remorse and cerebrated -
‘My heart remains young, Hallelujah!’
Nov 15, 2017
Nov 15, 2017 at 12:22 AM UTC
1
malice so gelidly plated
on the day of the parting
an old fading rose not receiving love
her bitter heart icy in grief
11
the fresher bloom captivated
his soul with an exceeding depth
a budding beauty so glorious
of splendour he'd prefer to hold
111
words exchanged between
which made for a catty scene
out came the elder woman's claws
wanting to scratch the dahlia's eyes
1V
and the allure of newer flower
he'd ever keep
as the ancient wrinkles
in time did finally creep
Oct 7, 2017
Oct 7, 2017 at 7:48 AM UTC
Colors of my imagination
Grow constantly within my mind,
Prosperous world I once created
Dragged into elder forces' fight.
The darkest matter of Ruination
Tries to destroy my universe,
But cosmic echoes of Creation
Have counterpoused their ancient force.
The oldest forces combat wildly -
There wasn't any fight like that,
The streams of power spinning blindly -
Arising essence of black shade.
The new stars' substance is arising,
From this new essence of pure dark,
Now millions of worlds are shining,
And billion fires have been sparked.
A thousand years passed after battle,
I ask its shadows (they're alive):
"How could chaotic fight to end up,
In giving birth to purest life?"
("We've witnessed universe creation,
We've seen a strength of spectral knights,
Bringing a life to new dimension
Requires energies' collapse...")
Shadows retreat - to constellations,
Last time I see the new worlds' light,
This picture - my imagination,
It's getting bleak like nighttime sky.
(inspired by Decrepit Birth and Blut Aus Nord)
Sep 20, 2017
Sep 20, 2017 at 4:14 PM UTC
The basin drains her polluted blood as wine envelopes morose
Every minute is a memory, onset of her blanketed comatose
Vying in a fog of icons and myths, words always fail them
From every misread evil that is disposed of improperly
From every neighbor or friend eternally mute again
From every gilded pattern that leaves a cuff for the eyes
From every fetching barroom, where all such nadir lies
May 14, 2017
May 14, 2017 at 10:30 AM UTC
Elder cocoons
Crysalis Hospice
Heaves pounding war drums
Fables of eternal bridge
Bingo and television
zombie horde lunch hour
Tennis ***** play race car
down halls tarred with lost children
Abandoned wither liver spot wrists
Silk wrinkles
Pull like neck folds lifted
newborn simba kittens
casted into this kingdom
scientists culture control
climate but not the yellow wall
It's too high for a fit cyborg
intravenous barbed wire
Cathader Penetrating
illusions of escapism
except the prison wealthy
classically conditioned
trading ice cream like cigarettes
trading blood diseases like ramen packets
There is no planned parenthood
in old folks homes
There is no distribution of free condoms
In a facility where they without medication
When you're about to win the lottery
His last day requested to bed Nurse Christine
Wheelchair ridden fumbling to open
A shaker of Mrs. DASH
I reach to help him open the spice.
Growling and Sadistic he festered:
"Let the little boy do what he can do."
I sat down in my chair.
he had his nurse ala mode.
no one will fund a ****** dispensary for old folks home.
they wouldn't use them.
Apr 6, 2017
Apr 6, 2017 at 7:20 PM UTC
upon approach he sees a man
with beard of grey and leathered tan
who says come here
and have no fear
i am a mere forsaken man
i am a carter of the wood
whose lived much longer than he should
i travel far
through lands bizarre
by wound and scar i understood
to this the boy a greeting gave
my name is Will and I am brave
it is your whim
should i come in
by discipline i will behave
this made the carter stop and think
he did not breathe he did not blink
two thoughts collide
and then divide
and so decide to cross the brink
since it is cold and wet about
and my fire far from dying out
come sit a spell
and warm ye well
and i will tell a tale of doubt
well to approve the boy does grin
up to the flame to warm his skin
without delay
he does obey
as if to say you can begin
the carter looks about the trail
in hopes to capture each detail
his egos fight
this is not right
and yet, despite, he tells the tale
i’ve traveled all the trails I care
and seen more than I think is fair
i’m growing old
my stories told
but i withhold this that i share
this is a story wrong and true
my time has come to tell it too
its with a sigh
that i must die
as soon as i tell it to you
there is a curse within the tale
the telling of which will unveil
a creature foul
of horrid howl
he’s on the prowl and will not fail
for he comes after those who tell
the tale that always will compel
the hearer who
must tell it too
but when you do he’ll know it well
you see this tale it has been told
by many men of ages old
and they like I
did question why
yet did comply as it is told
so please forgive my desperate soul
impending doom does take its toll
to fate be true
i can but do
one day so you will know its hold
at this the boy did squirm a bit
up to the flame to turn his spit
it’s just a tale
and somewhat stale
sir you will fail to get my wit
it is a tale, yes that is true
but cast no doubt on what i do
undone by hate
I meet my fate
so shall he wait one day for you
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016 at 9:40 AM UTC
Her mind has become a tangle of webs.
Her memories fight against each other as she tries to recall her wedding dress.
Words mix and mingle as her grandchildren tell her about their day.
Past and present blur as her loved ones dance beside the lake.
She weeps and she frowns as she realises that she's not well.
She smiles as she bids her daughter farewell.
Apr 7, 2016
Apr 7, 2016 at 11:00 AM UTC