Arlene Corwin writes

Me Against Them 

(Having looked in the mirror watching the wrinkles wrinkle.)

It’s me against them: 

The muscles, the ligaments, cartilage, skeleton;

Sometimes a treaty, sometimes at war, 

Passive and neutral, blasé, a watcher: overlord

Time. 

All I can do is to keep the war going, battling on;

All that I can; a work to be done. 

All that I ask and a plus and a task.

I have defenses: 

If I sit too long,

The muscles, the ligaments, cartilage, bone 

Enjoin me to get off my bum

And remember it’s me against them: 

Two weapons:

Zeal and will. 

For it I sit too still,

The muscles, the ligaments, cartilage, bone 

Tell me, “War done, you’ve not won,

And that’s that”!

The muscles, the ligaments, cartilage, skeleton; 

Entente or at war,

Always the watcher, their overlord Time. 

Day long,

Will strong, 

Choices endless,

To-do lists in endlessness too.   

Me against them – chumps/victims of time: 

Karma and nature, destiny, deity;

All time companions, 

The war carries on:

Muscles, the ligaments, cartilage, skeleton 

Fading but fighting 

                             to function.