Those Were The Days

... grandson’s thongs
he says foot raised
with unrepentant grin,
a mug of beer salute,     
mine died yesterday –
they fit okay so I don’t
feel guilty wearing them;

and why should I
as a reasonable exchange
for the troubles we’ve seen!
Seems like yesterday
I had to wipe his bum
– filled his pants
while we’re driving.

So there we are
stopped on the roadside
when you happen by, him
pants down, bending and me
positioned with tissue cleaning

you pull up and make another
of your famous remarks – though
of course it wasn’t yesterday was it?
More likely the thicker end
of five or six years – and he’s
already grown so I fit his thongs.

Those were the days...,
© 9 October 2008, I. D. Carswell