The End Comes

The End Comes

Legs which jumped and played  ampe*,
With stiffness into waiting cars are goaded to go.
The body once young and restless and brave,
Now in decay crawls to the lonesome grave.

Hair thick, dark and lovely to all,
Now in silvery spidery strands they fall;
Down the once firm, smooth smiling face
Now too wrinkled by sorrows of life’s ending race.

Once smart, agile and fast thinking minds
Forget, fret and fear simple harmless things.
Only memories of days past remain;
Recalled with neither happy sighs nor deep regrets.

With each beat the heart counts down;
With each step the legs slow to a stop;
To the day there’s no smile on the face,
To the day when all memories shall fade.


* Ampe is a vigorous jumping and clapping game played by young girls in Ghana.