Age can be counted

in many ways

rings on trees

teeth in horses

gray hair

wrinkles

slow speech

limping

and finally

loss of memory

 

but if you are

optimistic

age is

just a word

people live to be

over 100

and still live great lives

 

I would like to be

one of those fortunate few

so I make my plans

to live on

despite those wishing I were dead

 

and refuse to go out

without a fight

 

ever cantankerous

I will refuse to participate

in my own demise

and insist on living

Unassisted.