Steven Helmer Publications

 I was born in the 70s And who became who I am in the 80s and 90s. I'm now old enough To say I lived in six decades and two separate centuries. I'm getting too old to deal with the daily grind But not old enough to retire. Because I'm 51 And there is still a lot of responsibilities required. I outlasted rotary phones and dial-up internet. I carry scars from Challenger and 9/11. I've reached a point in my life where "sleeping in"  Is any time past 7. I was part of the last generation that had to wait until Saturday morning to watch cartoons. And one of the last that needed to go outside to play if we wanted to have fun. I don't shake my fist at clouds yet, but I don't like people being on my lawn. All because I'm 51. I always know when we're going to get rain, Thanks to knees that tell the weather. And while today's music and movies aren't necessarily bad They ones from my day were so much better. My metabolism already gave up on me; my ...

  It's time to get up for work But I'm struggling to get out of bed. Everything on my body aches From my toes to my head. You would think I spent last night running a marathon Or going ten rounds in a ring and cage. Nope, it's none of that. It's just middle age. I thought, when I got older I would grow wiser and develop more class. Instead, it seems like everything I eat and drink Manages to give me gas. If I don't write it down, I'm sure to forget it. If I choose to sit on the floor, I need an escape plan. All because I am now a middle-aged man.  I won't say all of it is bad though. My gray hairs do sometimes get me senior discounts. AARP ads make a lot more sense And I can pay my bills while still having money left in my checking account. So, I guess it's just a matter of taking the good with the bad. Continue on with my life, just like a new chapter on a new page. There's no point in getting depressed over it. After all, it's just middle age. ...

  My brain is all befuddled. Every time I have a thought, it's pulled away with a yank. I want to be productive. I want to be creative. Instead, I'm drawing a blank. Image courtesy of Arya_W via Pixabay Maybe it's old age. Maybe it's stress. Who knows, it could be an old brain injury Coming back to haunt me by leaving my head all a mess. All I know is putting thoughts into actions or words Is becoming a bit like navigating through a China shop while driving a tank. No matter what the explanation is, My mind keeps drawing a blank. _________________________________________________ If you liked this, here are some of my other poems: Join the Circus (A Poem) Artificial Intelligence (A Poem) In the Way (A Poem) The Day Dad Made the House Dark (A Poem)

  Image Courtesy of Pixabay You have got to be kidding me. I took 10 steps and now can’t remember why I came into the kitchen. Was I hungry? Did I need a drink? Are there chores and I was I supposed to pitch in? I want to believe I’m too young for senior moments But these memory lapses seem to prove that untrue. It doesn’t even help if I write it down Because I’d forget and would leave that note behind too. Grocery shopping can be such a chore sometimes as well. It doesn’t matter if I brought a list. All it takes is one momentary distraction And you can be sure there will be something I missed. Some days, I realize how lucky I am to have a roof over my head And still functional enough to pay the bills. Because lord knows I’ve lost track of all the times I couldn’t remember if I took my pills. If I am doomed to have these senior moments I guess I can live with them but do have one simple request. With all the hatred and violence in the world Cou...