Pause For Poetry:
Michael Hawkes /37
All Dressed Up With Nowhere To Go
A poem by Michael Hawkes
My body leads the way,
Dictates the terms
And sets the pace.
Bound by its chains
Its stern commands,
I follow shamefaced in disgrace.
What once was mine
To do with as I pleased,
When I the master chose
Is in decline,
Sick and diseased
With many strictures to impose.
I find no pleasure in its posture
And taking pains to get some ease
I use it as a hanger for my clothes.
When suitably attired
Despite some minor stains
The damage hardly shows;
With well accoutred aches and pains,
I’m able to admire
The pleasant change it undergoes.
28/07/21 – Hawkes
Feature image: Rene Böhmer on Unsplash
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Michael Hawkes was a cherished poet and contributor whose work enriched the pages of WestmountMag.ca with its sensitivity and depth. Over the years, he entrusted us with a rich body of poems, of which only a portion has yet been published. His passing leaves a profound void, but the poems still to come will continue inspire all who were moved by his voice.
A touching poem about age and change and trying to come to terms with it all. Thank you for this.