tell her she's your only one  when she
is upset, hold her tight.  play with her hair.
pick her up, tickle her, and wrestle
with her. just talk to her. bring her flowers just
because. just make her happy, tell her  she is butiful
make her smile, lauph and love.

I don't want to be this old
The fried crisp lips and
a neck with strings of
gobbled goop skin like
Christmas lights circle

the end of the days
like cookslices.  The
taglike things,

the straight hairs on my
chins, there are several,
poke into collars raw from
rubbing on butiful jewlry

I refrain my lament
Being 77 yars old
is like the inside
of a soup can
dried on the counter
corner for a week.

Caroline Shank
12.31.2023

Everybody wanted to help, but no one wants to be involved
It’s this butiful project that is viewed to be solved
All these apologies but no changes was made
Questions everywhere and in loneliness i laid
I’m sorry it’s on me but I know it should be on you
However I’ll do eneything to please you
All I wanted was to be seen
But all I got was stuck inbetween