On Turning 69
By Daria Blackwell
29 June 2023
Today is my day to reflect on the number
That, in my youth, induced smirks and blushes
But in my new age means something
Altogether different, finite and surreal.
I never thought I’d live this long –
Flower children of the ‘70s never did.
But as I sit here on top of my world,
I can see beyond the hills in both directions
And beyond the sea to my humble beginning.
I look up and view the future in the clouds
And look down to see the imprint of this day.
What have I accomplished, where have I been?
Who have I touched, what have I learned?
Does it matter in the end to amass achievements?
Material things: a house, a boat, a life well-lived?
Do adventures matter, should I pursue more?
Is there still more to learn from that yet to come?
Questions I’d have thought would’ve been answered by now.
But no, I find only more questions about questions,
Until I can rest and collect my thoughts in patterns.
This satisfies my soul and sets my mind finally to rest.
