Variations on a Theme By Dylan Thomas
Copyright (c) 1995, Daniel Sendecki
All rights reserved




Age has dominion over everything
its fences are the stars

Run against them; you will see:

Age is not kind, Age will beat you down

10 or 12 times 
Age will beat you
lines will blossom on your face

Age will call its dog on you
but the dog will not pursue;
for the effects of
living so close to Age
are obvious

Age will beat you down
until you urinate ucontrollably
because the dowel,
the billy club,
the bat of years

hurts immensely

Your aching body will sing of the strength of age

Age will beat you

Until the Police come to take you away
In the back of the cruiser you will cry,
"Look what Age has done to me!"

But the constable is wordless
He, too, has seen Age

He will write you a ticket for trying
to run against Age

You will go to trial; you will plead guilty

Because Age has dominion over everything
constellations are his fence

Soon you will be 20,
Soon you will be 36,
Soon,         52
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