Birthday
by Duncan Dwelle, February 1986
Birthday coming soon; with it bare
memories of sadness and pain -
Not for time gone by - another year
has brought me joy and friends again.
And not for getting older still.
Age lends windom to my madness.
Not for boredom - learning more till
soul is nearly filled with gladness.
I weep instead for birthdays past
lonely, angry, no celebration -
hoping each one would be the last
in conflict, not veneration.
Looking forward I see clearly
it's not the ending of each year
which revives old feelings dearly.
Make new beginnings without fear.