Almost too young
to remember...anything
I remember
an old old man
bursting into
our game
like a bronze figure
on a clock
striking the hour
& then creaking back
“I wanna play...I wanna
play! ”
he’d say
dribbling the ball up field
going hysterical when he scored.
I looked upon
this ancient intrusion
with all the disgust
of my young youth
my youth blazing
like a fire
in the hot sun
of childhood.
I laugh now
at this ancient one
once seen through all
too innocent eyes
realising he was only
as old as I am now!
Dónall Dempsey
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/an-apology-to-an-ancient-one/
