Steven Helmer Publications

  Every day seems to bring A fresh new ache to my body. There's also no denying My eyesight is getting shoddy. It doesn't matter how much I sleep I always seem so tired. I guess I'll need to start facing the truth. My warranty is now expired. Image by  Dreamer21  from  Pixabay Fifty plus years of wear and tear Are taking their toll. I no longer need the weatherman I can tell from my joints if it is going to rain or be cold. My mind, I think At least remains as sharp as a tack. Though I will admit I sometimes forget this or that. Doctor appointments that were once just routine Now fill me with dread. Those annual test results tell an ugly picture. Reminding me to be grateful I'm not yet dead. It's just part of getting older,  I guess. I no longer can expect to feel perfect. I can only hope for something A bit less than my best. I'll continue to enjoy life as best as I can. Accept that from here on out, things might be a little more tough Because I've reached ...

  Where the f*ck is my phone? Seriously, I'm walking around my house like some senile old geezer. Cussing under my breath as I check and recheck everywhere. I am beginning to wonder if maybe I left it in the freezer. I swear I'm not that old. So, why do I feel like I have as much memory as an IBM Commodore PC-5. As I keep looking for that damned phone, I even am beginning to wonder how I am still even alive. Image courtesy of Pixabay This is quite ridiculous. I'm on the young side of 50. It's not like I'm ready to be a senior home resident. Of course, the way this country is going lately, This also means I might just wake up to find I've been elected president. Maybe it's a sign I should just leave it where it is. Stop being so dependent on technology and instead focus on activities that will get my brain toned. Oh, who am I kidding? Where the f*ck is that phone. ________________________________ If you liked this poem, here are some others: In the Way (A Poe...

  Image courtesy of Pixabay We go out to the bar And I’m the one always designated to drive. What they don’t know is I may be sober,  But that doesn’t guarantee we’ll make it home alive. You don’t need a horror movie To give you a good fright. You just need to be in the passenger seat When I drive at night. Rain, snow, sleet, I can drive in them. Once that sun goes down though, Houston, we have a problem. Honestly, if you volunteer to ride with me after dark, You could be certifiably insane. Depending on the time at night, I’m not sure I could even promise I’ll stay in the right lane. Oh, and don’t even get me started About those headlights that keep getting more bright. You don’t need to blind me Because it’s scary enough when I drive at night. No, they don’t need to take my license, I’m not quite yet a menace behind the wheel. I’m just saying, if you ride with me when I drive at night  It’s at your own risk. For real. ____________________________________________________...

I wake up each morning tired and aching Feeling as though life has left me beaten down and bruised. Some of it is wear and tear or mistreatment. Plenty more of it was from my own misuse. The weight of the world sometimes seems so heavy I can’t breathe. Other times, the stress of life makes me want to go off some place to scream and yell. Yet, despite all of this, I still get up in the morning. I keep answering the bell. There are days when I wonder if anything will ever go right for me. Or, if the rut I’m stuck in will ultimately wind up being my fate. There just never seems to be enough free time or money in the bank. The bills get paid, but they are usually late. I’ve made plenty of mistakes And have sometimes said things that shouldn’t have been spoken. And, I’ve lost score of the times I’ve hurt someone or had my own heart broken. I’ve lost people I cared about Which makes me think more about my own mortality. Is this all there is? Or, is there...

I'm walking through the house turning off lights Like I'm a police officer walking his beat. And, during the winter, I'm the first to look at the thermostat and turn down the heat. I find myself getting up at the crack of dawn, Even on mornings when I don't need to. Yet, in the evenings, I watch TV and movies While trying to pretend my eyelids are see-through. It's not like stuff like this Frustrates me or makes me mad. I just want to know, When did I turn into my dad? I'm getting gray hair, which isn't that big of a deal. After all, I'm not ashamed of my years. But, do I really need to get that gray hair Growing out of my ears? I seem to get aches and pains quite often. Everything from my fingers and toes to my knees. And, did I seriously just get another one in my back Because I had to sneeze? Stuff like this should probably be making me grumpy. Or, at minimum, be making me quite sad. I, however, can live with it Just as long as...