Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, AGING TOGETHER, by CLARENCE MAJOR



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

AGING TOGETHER, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: I watch myself aging in your eyes
Subject(s): Animals; Old Age


I watch myself aging in your eyes.

My heart in my chest sits high on stilts
and leans forward for the sunlight
that comes down through my ribs
at midmorning. It is still a hopeful heart.

My face still has two sides.
And my hands each have a pocket to sleep in.
Just like yours.

You stand near an old stone doorway,
shading your eyes from the sun.
The church bells are ringing again.
Each ding or dong has its own personality.

Across the way two women stand at a gate
feeding pigs. The pigs grunt and grind, watching us.

All night the majestic church bells ring,
setting a rhythm for our sleep as you sleep
peacefully beside me and I beside you.

In the morning we climb all the way
to the top of the hill for a panoramic view.
We see our village below by the bay.

The eagle with feet full of the possibility of stars
makes so much possible for us,
but it is our own love for each other
that makes the difference.

We are growing older gracefully together.
We've taken to aging like a dog to its collar.


Used with the permission of Copper Canyon Press, P.O. Box 271, Port Townsend, WA
98368-0271, www.cc.press.org




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