50+ Lifestyles

Max’s Musings

By Max Molleston

To commence the newest year of our lives, I must square with you that I do not love “love poems.” You may ask, “what kind of a guy are you? Here, then is my story. As a professional news gatherer, instincts ran to solid excitement. Breaking News, if you will, on the worst thing humans could do to one another on that day. My parents, and those in their image growing through the big depression, were a loving but stoic bunch. My dictionary says “showing indifference to joy, grief, pleasure or pain. Indifferent.” It is from ancient Greek philosophy. “ I can take it and go on.” I am a part of those who have done that. W.B. (William Butler) Yeats in his life composed many styles of poetry, but when young and infatuated with a gal who refused his marriage proposal (s), he set out to wail and moan. His young effort was love poems. Who, with skills (or not), has not been a part of much admiration placed before a girl of your choosing. Final stanza of one of forty-one poems in the book, A Poet To His Beloved.

The Ragged Wood.

O hurry to the ragged wood, for there
I will drive all those lovers out and cry—
O my share of the world, O yellow hair!
No one has ever loved but you and I.

We present the final two stanzas of three. Is there a change of heart, or a realization of a shift in life’s circumstance ?

Do Not Love Too Long

All through the years of our youth
Neither could have known
Their own thought from the other’s,
We were so much at one.

But O, in a minute she changed—
O do not love too long,
Or you will grow out of fashion
Like an old song.

My long time connection inside poetry took hold of my opinions and attitudes. The Mississippi Valley Poetry Contest reached over our nation and beyond for entries (and received them). Rock Island Post office rental box for the incoming poetry. Moline was the site of Awards Night. The Adult General category did bring more love poetry. Experienced adults are better composing love settings, but very fickle given circumstances. Better at hiding varied emotions. Lots of yearning about infatuations , or admiration. Have I heard someone say “that stuff is for next month?” Join me here for that edition. The next one.