Life is like a walk in the park
Children running
Couples strolling
Nearby, birds hiding out in the bushes singing,
And, somewhere, far off, a train faintly sounds.

Life comes into brilliant focus while we’re still young
But then, over our lifetime, can fade.

There’s a satisfied calmness in that fade, however –
Not much to get upset about –
Life glimmering just a few steps away –
The magic still there – just out on the edges.

The rain is damp and chill –
No fires tonight!

There are fewer birds left in the forest –
So there’s less sound, less activity,
In the distance a child appears who barely sees us –
A group of old men no longer standing at the center.

The quiet ones –
Taking one last look
Before exiting.