My Brother's 50th Birthday
by Susan in Las Vegas
Shopping for a birthday card
Concentrating really hard
The kind I would prefer to send
Is funny big and doesn’t bend
Got mad because again I saw
Dumb cards I wouldn’t send my paw,
Why hasn’t Halmark figured out
Our aging’s not a time to pout
Its still a time to celebrate!
My gosh, another year! Its GREAT!
Its starting once more all brand new
-a car who’s mileage made it to
Zeros all across the row,
And POOF! We have a new car! So,
Although that one did not hold true
Med journals tell us all, we have new
Hope for living far more years
Another half life! So open your ears
No cancer by the age of five o,
Says Living til ninety is likely, so,
If that’s the case, you plan your way:
Five O becomes your starting day.
Dig it; lucky you, you’re here.
Wow, the options! Check your gear,
Another adventure’s around the bend,
You ready? All packed? go spend
some time to find whats on your mind.
Be wise, be fair, be smart, be kind,
The past is gone, new life ahead,
Each moment smells as good as bread
Fresh from the oven, steaming still
With butter, mm, these moments will
Add up to all new books of love
A second, a moment, the cat, or dove
who all together make you say
it was an awesome kind of day
So start your new life with a smile
And dig the joys you’ve earned a while
For many who make it this far they say
Will see that ninety two some day.
Again get off your duff don’t gripe
Your new life s here not down the pipe
Dig out the ‘horn, the drums, the tent
Aim for the moon or aim for ghent
Its great to be alive today
Go dance! Do art! Or write a play
Our National Parks are waiting there,
For you to camp and hike and share
Or follow trails of those you knew
Who made today so great for you
In parks, the air, on lakes, on shore
on tapes, C D’s, and even more
the internet will help you find
what ever that your searching mind
is asking you to follow through on
so ignore the silly moron
who still insists that over thirty
is history, is old, and dirty
Instead remember and get on
Old dreams were made to look upon
And one day figure out to pray
Will help you get them any day
What was the dream you had one day
To fish and call it work not play
Or maybe what your new dream now
Is figuring the simple how
To lie in bed all day and read
Your favorite comic books? In deed
Its not too hard to really make
Your birthday happy, not some fake
So much to count as all success
Just try to count them: can you guess
How many things will constitute
Your wealth? I bet you cant compute
How much you have to thank God for.
I started a list: just thee or four
I thought I'd write but look and see
the ones my fingertips could key
all things you could be grateful for.
My list kept growing, more and more,
Your health, your mind, your happy heart
The way you always do your part,
Your friends, your golf, your awesome trees,
Alone could have you on your knees
Your job, your bank account, your car
Or try one day to walk as far
As your car goes although its aged
You’ve got a history, you waged
A bet that it would carry you
To work, to church, to golf, to where you
Find yourself at either age
Just loving life, you turn the page,
And all before you is brand new
There’s not much that you cannot do
If God be for you all is well
So sing that song and ring the bell
You’ve got it made, so hug her cat
Your sons, and Diesel, you’re where its at;
My dogs are anxious, once again
I think how fortunate I’ve been,
To have a brother just like you,
you drive me nuts, but then, like you,
God made you perfect, that I see,
In some ways, you're a lot like me,
Your traits I like the most I guess
will have to wait, because I've made this pretty mess.
You are my brother and although
We sometimes clash, you have to know
I love you. Hope your heart will ring
The joys that being fifty bring.
And so although its getting there late
Your Sister loves you and you rate.