In youth every tree is a jungle gym
Sticks a call for a sword fight
The joy of pretend fills the imagination
As a teen, music and fun carry the tune
Rash, stubborn unwilling to listen
Blazing one’s stumbling path
As an adult, planning a family, buying a home
Too involved in the tango of life
Chasing dreams, creating NOW
Then, time suddenly speeds out of control
Etched lines and graying hair
Begin to camouflage the person
Observers only see past, old
They cannot imagine the vibrant
Person held prisoner within
Encapsulated in fading time
Mind, the last treasure
Dims leaving only snips of memory
The fear of not knowing
Crawls along synapsis of energy
Broken, misfiring
Faces swim into focus
And melt away
Leaving a blank canvas
—Diane Lobre
Diane retired from the Hawaii Public Health Institute (HIPHI), where she assisted with its mission of providing education and advocacy leadership on key public health issues. Prior to moving to Hawaii, Diane held a brief position with Bakersfield Life where she wrote profile pieces on local architects. She hopes that her association with WOK will push her to submit her work for publication
Wow, I really enjoyed reading your writing. Diane, you do need to be pushed to publish your work. I thought it reflected life beautifully. I’m just glad we are not in that last stage yet!
Debbie Dalton
Absolutely love this, moved by this. Thank you Diane. <3