Poem: Counting Birthdays

at fifteen
can’t wait to grow up
you’ll be the boss
at twenty
one more year is heaven
then you’ll be legal
at twenty five
your experience grows
but only you know
at thirty five
you have your own family
this explains your parents
at forty five
eyes and hair are going
but nowhere you want to go
at fifty five
memory is vague and elusive
lost just like your keys
at sixty five
you wonder why
you wanted to be sixteen
at seventy five
your favorite place
is your quiet chair

at eighty five you wonder
how did you make it this far
lost your hair and your car
you can’t see or hear
aches match your year
can’t remember your friend
your always on the mend
but what’s your druthers
six feet like all the others