Nothing Less

A stranger stares back at me

Dark rings highlight hollow eyes

Dry hair thin,

Grey and split

Fleshy rolls spill,

Out of the old wardrobe

Tired skin sags,

Rough and loose,

Being dragged along,

On a noose

Every day,

New wrinkles are drawn in

By some magical being

Playing a mischievous game

A reminder of what is precious

To not live in shame

A reminder

That things change

That now at this age

We move into a new range

A new understanding

Even a few quick steps

are met with breathlessness

Eventually that’s all there is,

That one last breath

Nothing less