Life: glass half empty version.

You’re too young,

irresponsible, whiny, mouthy, impulsive.

Too drifty, dreamy, dumb to

pass math, finish your science fair project,

dodge summer school.

Too short, scrawny, knobby, chunky, zitty, metal-mouthed

to get asked to the dance

be called “popular”

kiss a member of the other team.

Too trapped; your bike has a flat.

And no, you can’t borrow the car

for another hundred years.

And even then it’s

a maybe.

***

You’re too busy.

Getting that degree, that job, that house,

that—oops, where did that baby come from?

Too puke-stained, caffeinated, exhausted,

scheduled, memoed, networked,

mortgaged.

You need to mow the lawn,

and can you pick Tommy up

from soccer practice?

***

You’re too burned out.

Can’t keep up with these

Fresh-out of biz school kids.

Thinking retirement, but at thirty

“old” seemed too far away.

And now “old” is too close.

Like objects seen in the rearview mirror.

Got to hang on a couple more years

or three or four.

Too bad Walmart doesn’t hire greeters

anymore.

***

You’re too old, irrelevant, achy.

Too small for your skin

Too quick to forget where you put your glasses,

too long to remember

that night back in ’57.

Too weary, stale, querulous, nostalgic,

Too powerless and long in the tooth.

Too expensive to maintain.

Alll those pricey meds–

and you’re in the donut hole.

***

You’re too dead and gone.

What?

That was it?

That was the ride?

It was too short, too confusing,

too busy, too distracted,

too hit-and-run and

Dead is too long.

***

Got another quarter in your pocket?

Let’s try this ride again.