Crow's Feet And Aging Poem by cheryl davis miller

Tess and Idella were the dearest of friends
beginning way back in first grade.
They each found the good in whatever life gave
be it lemons they made lemonade.

All through their school years, graduations and jobs
they stood fast by each others sides.
In a double ceremony they both said ' I do '
as those dearest of friends became brides.

They settled right here in their hometown
worked hard to become good housewives.
As was often the case for ladies back then
the stork regularly visited their lives.

They stood by each other through colic and croup
the scraped knees, school years and hard times,
through the death of dear parents, then even their mates,
they comforted each others minds.

One day Idella didn't answer the phone
Tess wondered oh what could it be.
She pondered should I call an ambulance
must be bad if she can't answer me.

Tess raced down the alley to her friends house
bursting through Idella’s kitchen door.
Found Idella sitting there 'midst years of old photos
spread out on the parlor room floor.

Tess inquired 'Dear what is the matter
are you hurt, are you ill, please tell me? '
Idella looked up; blinking tears from her eyes
spoke, 'The oddest things happened to me.

I know it's silly we’ve been friends all these years
and we’re both in our seventies;
yet except for the mirror and occasional ache
in my heart I’m still young, do you see?

Then yesterday something occurred to me,
now I know for a pure certainty.
There’s more life behind me spent and long gone
then there will be ahead of me.

See there’s one thing you can not ignore my friend
when you see it; then you'll realize
your getting old when you look at your child
and see ‘crow’s feet’ surrounding their eyes.'

c.d.m.5/19/09