INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR OLDER PERSONS - 1st October

To my parents, with all my love and affection.

BEAUTIFUL OLD AGE
 

It ought to be lovely to be old

to be full of the peace that comes of experience
and wrinkled ripe fulfilment.

The wrinkled smile of completeness that follows a life
lived undaunted and unsoured with accepted lies

they would ripen like apples, and be scented like pippins

in their old age.

D.H Lawrence
Image Credit:
 poetryconnection.net

Soothing, old people should be, like apples

when one is tired of love.

Fragrant like yellowing leaves, and dim with the soft

stillness and satisfaction of autumn.

And a girl should say:

It must be wonderful to live and grow old.

Look at my mother, how rich and still she is! -

And a young man should think: By Jove

my father has faced all weathers, but it's been a life!

D.H. Lawrence http://www.poetseers.org/the_great_poets/british_poets/d_h_lawrence/lawrence_poems/3/view/

Bio and Biblio on the author:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._H._Lawrence