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It was imperceptible,
at first,
becoming invisible.
For almost fifty years,
I was a person in the world,
till suddenly eyes began to look
past or through me
past or through me
as if I were empty air.
As I gained weight of wisdom
and girth of body,
eyes fell away from me
as if afraid to light,
for fear age is contagious.
(psssst: it is!)
for fear age is contagious.
(psssst: it is!)
I was a book of Ponderous Truth
disguised, absurdly, as an Eggo waffle.
I poured on the syrup,
and made my peace.
*********
II.
With our cloak of invisibility,
comes an increase of our other faculties:
life wisdom, extra-sensory perception,
a heightened radar system.
From behind our convenient disguise
as aging-persons,
we can interpret
your body language.
We see the lifted brow,
the wry smile.
We can read
your energy.
You reveal so much more
than you think you do.
We nod. We smile.
We keep our silence.
But we can
see
right through you.
*********
II.
With our cloak of invisibility,
comes an increase of our other faculties:
life wisdom, extra-sensory perception,
a heightened radar system.
From behind our convenient disguise
as aging-persons,
we can interpret
your body language.
We see the lifted brow,
the wry smile.
We can read
your energy.
You reveal so much more
than you think you do.
We nod. We smile.
We keep our silence.
But we can
see
right through you.
posted for Mary's prompt over at dVerse: invisible .
Oh, Sherry...you have spoken truth here. It IS true that after a certain age a person is looked through rather than being looked at, ignored rather than acknowledged, by some folks.
ReplyDeleteSo true that those who ignore don't realize that they are being seen for who they are, they are being 'read' for their (perhaps) ignorance of what makes up personhood. People of a certain age DO have an uncanny ability to see and see through....to the heart of the matter...to a person's core.
i poured on the syrup and made my peace...ha...a girth of wisdom is not a bad one to wear...oh def...the further i get in life the easier it is to read people...not judge them...but def read them from experience..
ReplyDeleteI like how you use the image of the cloak of invisibility in your poem, Sherry! And how it allows you to see behind the surface. But I am sure sometimes your smile is not as invisible as you think!
ReplyDeleteI think you are more than right.. how often elderly are neglected.. how often we forget... but you see right through us (and soon I'm right there too)... hmm
ReplyDeleteThe first one made me smile, Eggo waffle ~ Sometimes making peace with ourselves is golden ~
ReplyDeleteAnd the second one, hey sometimes we give ourselves away so easily ~ I like to think that the prize of aging & gaining wisdom ~
Oh such a wonderful truth Sherry. Oh if only we could live in years gone by when advancing age was viewed as a determination of a sages view.
ReplyDeleteI refuse to be sidelined and everyone hears my voice - but in our NHS I will soon enter the realm of geriatrics and despite the PC blurb - will soon to cease to have significance...
Anna :o]
Great truths written well. If only those who write off the 'invisibles' realised that they have much to learn from them...
ReplyDeleteI especially like the second part...where we have gained the ability to see the invisible. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteOh Sherry! You have told so much truth here that I have a wide grin across my face. Just Perfect! I too have inched into invisibility and girth. We should form a club.
ReplyDeleteTruly said Sherry! How the 'smart alecs' think they can outwit the experienced old-aged. And your style of writing with beautiful word craft is sheer genius, such a pleasure to read (read it multiple times) Great!
ReplyDeleteHank
Age comes to everyone and because we live in a society that is youth oriented once the signs of age appear many of us go into a decline and start making appointments with the cosmetic surgeon so we look forever young. IGood health is paramount also a well nurtured mind the rest is inconsequential.Those who write people off as invisibles are those you are happy to be invisible to:)
ReplyDeleteHa! I like the two sides to the coin. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, Sherry, i appreciate your humor and your first poem's "ponderous truth disguised as an Eggo!!" I've also gained (what i hope is) the weight of wisdom...and find that grandkids LOVE waffles :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know about you, Sherry, but i can't see shit without my glasses!
ReplyDeleteLove this Sherry because it is all too true. Had a friend, while I was still working at the bookstore, and I remember the day she came in and told me that women over sixty become invisible. Of course, I didn't understand then, but certainly do now. She'd have loved both of these pieces and firmly agreed with all of it.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Great poem. I'm just as guilty...not seeing those who are all around me.
ReplyDeleteSherry, written with a pen of wisdom..but, I see you for the beautiful soul you are pour on that syrup and make peace..great line..
ReplyDeleteThe two aspects of invisibility... the former picturing the invisibility that comes with old age, how people look through you as if you are not there and the second part being so powerful in narrating the wisdom and abilities of elderly to look through a person and even understand the attributes which are invisible to the rest of the world.
ReplyDeleteDelightful reading... there is a sadness in it but the wisdom of your words generates an automatic smile. Great job.
-HA
i often found the strength of elderly and wise people is that they have good eyes to see others and the bit of "invisibility" makes them more independent on what others think as well... not a bad place in a way
ReplyDeleteI like how you start this with others looking right through you and end with you looking right through others. the two parts fit nicely together.
ReplyDeleteinteresting how many times people show more attention and give more value to an old large sprawling oak and inanimate objects of antiquity rather than their own species, aging humans the makers and caregivers of these antiquities. we see past and through an aged human with discarding eyes so readily. we, humans seem to disdain and discard other beings too readily .
ReplyDelete'the eyes have it'
gracias, mi amiga
Ha! Very clever. I don't mean to laugh because it is a funny poem, but because it is a prescient poem. And I love the eggo waffle bit--better to be an eggo waffle, than an ego always waffling! K.
ReplyDeleteVery touching and much truth to this, Sherry. It's so true...our society values youth and once that starts to fade we are looked at with less interest. Love how you ended this too. Excellent!
ReplyDeleteI like that heightened radar system! We indeed do gain in wisdom and weight, and better perspectives. All so well put!
ReplyDeleteI've been catching up on reading your posts. Just had to comment on this one. We share the sentiment. Invisibility is not a quality I like. So let's be seen and heard.
ReplyDeleteI probably don't even make sense. I'm so tired. Just got back from grandchildren sitting. An honor, a privilege and so much fun. But I'm tired.
yes, happened to me at about 50.
ReplyDeleteSo much wisdom here. Age definitely brings insight.
ReplyDeleteWise woman. This is so good! Love your words, and the heart that shines through.
ReplyDelete