In twilight,
my skin, the wrinkles,
the crinkles,
dissolve into my youth

when I was slim and trim
and fit
from a mile’s swim each day

under sun that burned
a healthy glow,

attracted and attractive
the group dance
of after-work outings,
bar-hoppings,
pick-ups and hook-ups.

Now comes time
to release the girdles
of my past

of slick magazine ads,
of diets and fads,

to embrace the cotton comfort,
my favorite colors,
the confidence in knowing

I don’t have to relive the past –
of growing pains
and a thin wallet,

or even worry
of both the inevitable
and the unknowable,

of my aging,
of the welfare of all I love,
of the goodbyes.

Twilight is in my life,
some days more than others,
and always welcome come end of day

though, really, not too soon.

I am reluctant to close the evening blinds
when still
light chases shadows
through the oak leaves.