Wonder and Woe


Wrinkled throat and gray wisdom
flower on drooping stems of brittle bone.

She is wonder and woe strapped to fading light,
but she can see with wolf eyes the questions
youth chase in the blind consumption of immediate.

Equated to a dying moth no one reads the book
of life in her veined hands or hears her speak,
“Today is the story tomorrow will read.”

©Susie Clevenger 2019



"Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave"
Sara Bareilles

Comments

Margaret said…
Oh, if only youth knew the wonderous interesting lessons the elderly could tell us. I wish I'd taken far more time listening at my Grandmother's knee!
January 9, 2019 at 5:39 PM
Sherry Blue Sky said…
This is wonderful. Life wisdom, ignored. LOVE the quote in your closing lines.
January 9, 2019 at 5:45 PM
Vicki said…
Love that first line, so much truth here.
January 9, 2019 at 8:12 PM
Anmol (HA) said…
What an intriguing character sketch! Loved this bit: "but she can see with wolf eyes the questions youth chase in the blind consumption of immediate."
January 10, 2019 at 7:41 AM
Sanaa Rizvi said…
'She is wonder and woe strapped to fading light,' this is so evocative!
January 10, 2019 at 9:06 AM
Jim said…
 "no one reads the book of life in (our) veined hands or hears (our) speak." Even so we live to tell our story. Nice poem, Susie.
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January 13, 2019 at 8:48 PM
Jim said…
"no one reads the book of life in her veined hands or hears her speak," is also the theme of the 'gettinto older age story.'
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January 14, 2019 at 9:29 AM
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