And the winner of the 'Ode to Aging' poetry contest is (drum roll) ...

BY JA Strom —
Actually, there are three winners (and several honorable mentions).

Entrants had to limit their poems to words that appear in the 50- Something edition of Minneapolis-based Magnetic Poetry. The kit consists of about 240 words, suffixes and letters, some of which appeared twice. Some of the words that leap to mind when you think aging... silver, golden, senior, boomer...were not included.

Here are the winning poems, along with the honorable mentions.

Prize winners:

Know Her As Older
by Ann Puglisi, Roseville, Minnesota

Slow down, time will quickly pass.
Why must the year flash by so fast?

Just a kid; soon off to college,
There is wisdom in learning something new.

Make many friends. Find a husband
and important work to do.

Become a parent, buy property,
Imagine the woman you could be.

Annual vacation, good health, and love,
Every one an asset from Above.

Changes come through mid life crisis
Pressure, pain, anxiety.

After fifty feel the freedom.
No more mortgage; security.

Dream, desire, then retire.
Reflect on living at any age and see

Happiness was almost always when
You remembered to look within.

full on fifty know how
by Joanne Underwood, Calgary, Canada

wine with woman
is existential exercise
I relax reflect
good thing I can between martinis
am saying viagra as asset
is just not there
though vacation use makes me imagine
a new style
a wrinkle in time
watch out!

after all I’m fast finding freedom
from pressure to drive on empty
learning to live yoga life
could have dream of convertible
feel young hot desire
remember hair health
no wife no worry
every night adventure
but happiness?
another important flash here
you are my love old friend
more than my one and only
we pass through pain
to walk in wisdom
©B.J.U.

From Sojourn Adult Day Program’s Poetry Club, Spring Park, Minnesota

Limerick entry:

There was an old man who had surgery
He always desired security
His prostate and knee
And new bifocals see
A healthy portfolio of property

Acrostic entry:

Fiber
Retire
Exercise
Exam
Dream
One
Martini

Haiku entry:

Desire my time
A vacation adventure
Old age happiness

Imagine I’m young
Driving a convertible
Freedom from pressure

No wrinkles for me
I’m a woman with wisdom
Coffee is my friend

Cinquan entry:

Learn
Important Life
Exercise our wisdom
Remember pain and happiness
Reflect

Quatrain entry:

Exercise style is my thing
Healthy yoga and walking
But I worry about these
Hot flashes and wrinkled knees

Honorable mentions:

From Gale Campbell, Cottage Grove, Minnesota

Life is an adventure through time,
With freedom to dream, plan then change.
Using happiness to move from anxiety or pain,
Worries will pass as we make new friends.
But the years flash by so, reflect and love!
 
From Amanda Newman, St. Paul, Minnesota

Happiness is never about worry, pain, pressure, security, crisis, death or desire. 
It comes with wisdom, adventure, dreams, and love. 
Always remember to live life to the fullest, and time will be an asset for health. 
Reflect upon your freedom like a slow walk at night. 
Some finding the good through this.

And from Anna Hansen, St. Paul, Minnesota

Ode to Aging

No anxiety about wrinkles
No worrying on age
I just desire the adventure of life
to be slow
and to remember
every friend and lover
before my last nap

Condition OK

Feel good
Fiber working
Bifocals new
Prostate sound
Happiness here

Aging Haikus

Fifty more years with
you as my only lover
Feels like happinesss

Do I desire you
after all the years?
Will do so always

Wrinkles remember
every day of your life
just like old friend

GrayTimes wants to thank the poets who entered. The top three winners will receive, appropriately, a set of the “50-Something” edition of Magnetic Poetry.

(Posted January 2, 2009)