On approaching fifty

I live in fear of the present years,
where the fifties draw near
and see the destruction that age brings
in the folks living with me
as if intelligence, good manners,
good humour and peace disappears
with the end of life drawing near.

I thought that at this present age,
I would be settled, wed with children,
a company man with money,
with his destiny set
and yet life doesn’t always go
the way that we plan

and now worries consume me,
as if relationships, friendships
and my career
have all come
to a definite full stop

and I am not dead yet
and life goes on instead
and in my latter years
I am trying
to change destiny
with shoe strings
while with time
age is setting in.

poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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