retirement – dverse
The ancient warhorse
basks in the glorious warmth
of yesterday’s sun
Look closely
for though he stands tall
he is invisible
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bwfiction 
I relate to this personally–fine writing, Sir.
thank you – when poetry connects it is very satisfying for the writer.
I am entering my most productive period I think, and in ten years will be retiring. With your poem, Bill, I realize that in a few years, life will be very different. It is sobering.
The richness of our lives needs to come from more than work, I’m finding
Invisible but still having and maintaining the strength of purpose! It is how one gets prepared for the testing times!
Hank
Thanks Hank
This has so many lovely levels to this! I have a colleague approaching retirement and his thoughts fall on similar lines.
yes, we all face it eventually
Could be understood in a few ways. ..I get the idea of a soldier who has proudly served hours country, but has come home and has been forgotten.
Thanks – I’m glad you caught the duality
It’s still up to us be visible or not….stay/sit tall for all? create your stand, be grand! ~ it’s your intention, soul! x
This is fantastic.
thanks Lacy
Difficult for a war horse to be content in the pasture…but invisibility can be great for doing whatever you please, with no apology 🙂
that’s a positive spin, for sure
So much emotion is so few words – very powerful image – I think we need to always find those that we are ‘visible’ to – who see us, no matter the situation
Yes – I read once in a novel on Africa that some of the tribes greet one another with “I see you, I see you” – a confirmation of the other person. I have always liked that thought.
I like being invisible . I want to be visible only to those whom I am attracted to. For the record it never works out like this 🙂
I see you Cressida, you matter 🙂
I think that we old folk are mostly invisible. It surprised me today on my walk that a teacher in the school playground spoke to me as I passed, and a pleasant conversation ensued. Such episodes are rare.
Ahh, an invisible beauty. My fave kind! ♡♡♡
at least the look is slimming 🙂
“Lol” 😀
loved the play on words in this
How lovely!
Oh goodness.. i know too well what invisible feels like.. both externally and internally
imposed by the circumstances of both health and employment joined together at belly
of the beast to keep going where one knows the path is known…
Greatest freedom now for me.. is never looking back.. a time now is a total please of
peace..:)
You’re not invisible when you’re dancing 🙂
This poem proves you’re not one of the ones who are destined to become invisible, Bill–very well done!
Thanks VB, losing a vocation requires one to mourn a bit – but then it had better be time to get on getting on!
Something I think about often and wonder how I’ll cope….
This one packs a punch, as they say. I enjoyed it. 🙂
I suppose plan b is owning a business or having passive income, or having interests that embrace others.
Yesterday”s sun indeed – nice write Bill… With Best Wishes Scott
I love the way you twisted that ending…but yes, retirement is a big adjustment. At least there is writing to keep one busy!
Retirement although often desired often brings with it a loss of purpose, and the invisibility thing is very real. How easy we are forgotten.
Kind regards
Anna :o]
purpose – how we cling to things for the illusion of it.
And now you are gifted with the task of discovering those things you wish to cling to for the joy of it, rather than the illusion 😉
to know oneself is the hardest battle
Is it the invisible that questions the reader himself? or the writer?
I love it and this short poem is awesome!
Thanks charlie – I’ll be your way soon 🙂
I love what you have written here Bill, but I kind of wish it was longer; maybe some extra stanzas between the two that you have.
And becoming invisible isn’t just a retirement thing; in my experience redundancy and unemployment have much of the same effect …
Yes, I have a hard time writing more than a stanza or two, Tony. My words fall apart. I hope over time to overcome that.
I never want to be invisible, smiles ~ But I do hear you on the passing of time, and that torch to someone younger and eager to do the job ~ Congrats on your first of the many posting, smiles ~
If only they were better 🙂
You did a good job with this…and it’s obvious from the responses which have a covered a good range of emotions and reactions.
I, too, am facing this now with only a few years left before retiring – however I own a side business in addition to my day job which keep me pretty active, and have a myriad of interests – but still the undertone of invisibility tugs at me – not just for retirement but for end of life issues, too.
All of us have to face this.
Randy
Yes Randy – I remember in reading the “Wizard of Earth Sea” books, and one point the Wizard is done with doing – I never understood it til now. But that said – I have miles to go before I rest.
I may have a trip to Fla coming up. I’ll keep you posted.
working for the VA for 30 years, I got to train my replacement a full year before I retired. I faced daily the trappings of invisibility; yet I prepared intensely for the dawning of MeTime, & coming up on the fifth year now without a whiff of boredom; 100 projects ongoing; will have to live to 120 to complete them.
here’s to 120 and going strong !
Very very interesting perspective – I love that effect.
I’ve owned horses for many years, and their lives are about 1/3 of a human life being 30 is very old for a horse. The similarities are very similar. They want to be used, and ridden and important, and just don’t understand why you choose someone else… that’s what I thought I’d try to reach for with this.
I see it now what inspired you – thanks for explaining this to me.
you’re welcome – one never expects to be on the other side of the equation.
I was determined to be extraneous but they hired three young ones to take my place! I enjoy being invisible now, drifting unseen but seeing through the seasons.
but you have proof that you are worth three others at least 🙂
Yes. But it was a bitter proof.
Yes, it would be.
Yes and as such, a year ago today, I have already taken my wakizashi out of its sheath and beat the crap out of the most patient and obliging oak tree in our back yard. Dang…now I gotta sharpen it again,
Somehow I can feel that I’m fading a little .. the image is really just what you talked about. I fill in the details and become that old horse myself..
I suppose we have to reinvent ourselves, but within the corporate world it can be very difficult.
Ah, I think the older one gets the more invisible one becomes…unfortunately. We have to fight that. Smiles!
🙂
after so many years of being in a war it’s probably tough to suddenly be invisible and not important anymore… probably though it can be freeing as well
it’s the invisible that gets you… even before you’re gone.
Ouch. I’m retiring this year, and I get it. The fear of all active businesspeople, that they will be forgotten once the employment door has closed behind them.
same here, someone decided many good people were extraneous.