Birthdays That End in Zero

Birthdays That End in Zero

Somehow the view changes

With some birthdays

Especially those that end in zeros

Hmmm

Some more than others

The perspective changes

The view is so very different

It is like the T-shirts

That Dan and I had made

When we found ourselves

In that boring little town

Where I struggled through

 A year

And he managed four or five

The locals did not approve

For they thought they were in

The Garden of Eden

“This is not the end of the world”

It said in big print on the front

And

“But you can see it from here”

On the back

Ah the frowns it brought us

Maybe there is a frown now

Here or there

But never for long

Too many good things

To consider

Last night the side of a restaurant

Full with friends for a surprise cake

And song

Today even better

For a sweet voice sang to me

“Happy Birthday, Papa”

Her mother should have known

It would make me cry

But she sounded surprised

Well, maybe a little

The years bring such changes

Well, how dumb is that?

Of course they do

Every day brings change

Some good

Some bad

We lost the Clean Machine

This year

One more of what was so many

That now are so few

Aunts, uncles, cousins

Grandmothers & grandfathers

Friends

So many gone

Leaving dusty memories behind

Happy days

Happy days then

And happy days ahead

Though now with a different perspective

A different view

So many changes and so many things the same

At least until I pass a mirror

And try to find someone I remember

From years ago

Now with this birthday

That ended in zero

I find myself near the age

Of my father

When he took his last ride

Oh, I just realized

That this is the very city

He was passing when he passed

Where I now unexpectedly live

Is there a message there

Some eerie twinge

Birthday that end in zero

MFM

July 17^th, 2009

11:53 AM

SETX