In Passing

      It seems everything is mixed up

      We’re not growing old, after all

      Look at the common threads with our babies

      They have blankets, we have a shawl

      When we are toddlers, we measure our growth

      At adulthood, we stop growing tall

      Then along comes osteoporosis

      Causing our spines to grow again small

      Remember when you took your first step?

      We fell many times learning how

      Well, we’re back in that same situation

      But our bones break easier now

      When babies, our mothers would feed us

      We’d wear a bib to cover our clothes

      Now we’re back in that similar position, our

      Shaking hands drop food while we doze

      Babies are not born with teeth

      They eat pablem until their teeth come in

      Our teeth come out to soak in a glass

      Again eating pablem seems we just can’t win

      When toddlers are learning to talk, it’s difficult

      They get frustrated when not understood

      We, on the other hand, lose patience

      You see, our memories are not very good.

      For children, potty training isn’t easy

      They wear diapers, they’ve not learned control

      Our bladders and bowels have weakened

      We’ve lost the muscles to hold in the flow

      When babies are taking their first steps

      A walker steadies them on their feet

      We too have gone back to this practice

      But now our walkers are also a seat

      Like toddlers that sleep in daybeds

      Like babies who sleep in cribs

      Our beds are equipt with railings

      So we don’t roll out and break any ribs

      Do you see, we are growing younger

      Soon we’ll be right back at the start

      Soon it will be increasingly difficult

      To tell us…from babies…apart!