pigeon poem ~ When I am old

[andinla]

I rearranged this poem from dogs to pigeons and added a little to it.

When I am older...
I will wear soft gray sweatshirts...
and a bandana over my gray hair...
I will spend my social security checks, on wine
and my birds.

I will sit in my house on my well-worn chair
and listen to my pigeons cooing. & cooing.

I will sneak out in the middle of a warm summer night
and take my birds for a ride on my bike, if my old bones will allow...

When people come to call, I will smile and nod
as I show them my pigeons...and talk of them and about them......the ones so beloved of the past
and the ones so beloved of today...
of the ones who were rescued, and sadly
flew away.

I will still work hard cleaning up after them,
mopping and feeding, and picking up poop.

I will wear the gleaming sweat on my throat,like a jewel,
and I will be an embarrassment to all that I know..
especially my family... who have not yet found the peace
in being free to have pigeons as friends like the ones
sitting here with me.

These friends who always wait, at any hour, for my hand...
and eagerly fly to embrace my presence, to greet me as if I were a God, eyes full of adoring love, and little coo's. Hoping for seed, a kiss, or a scratch.. .

I'll hug them close...
I'll kiss their dear sweet heads...
and whisper & coo in a pigeon kinda way

Loving pigeons is easy, they are part of me.
I just turned 83 and went to the see the doc
He said I was healthly and fit as one can be. I said that's funny how can that be?, with all those pigeons living with me.

I look in the mirror... and see I am old....
this is the kind of person I am...
and have always been.

Please accept me for who I am.
My birds appreciate my presence in their lives...
they love my presence in their lives...

Well it's getting late and I have to tune in
to all of my friends that are on pigeon.com.
They make me laugh, they make me cry with all
the pigeon stories of rescues, or releases, or their funny
pictures of their feathered pets.

This is important to me...
you will understand when you are old,
if you have pigeons to love and to hold.

[Trees Gray]

Well, andi that is just lovely, brought tears to my eyes.

Thank you for sharing this with us.

[TerriB]

Andi, what beautiful sentiments. You did an excellent job of adapting that. I especially like the line, "... who have not yet found the peace
in being free to have pigeons as friends...". Thank you for sharing this!

[dnrslucky1]

I agree! Andi, that was very enjoyable to read! Thank You for taking the time to transform it, and to share it with us!

Denise

[Lady Tarheel]

Although I'm not quite that old, the pome still could be me - except riding the bike! and, some of mine will greet me with a wing slap and a bite - i.e. Mr. H.

I really enjoyed the poem, Andi.

[mr squeaks]

Beautifully done and sure to touch the hearts of all pigeon people!