Tuesday Poem – The Geriatric Garden by Mona E. Randall

come wander with me in my garden

which gives me great comfort each day

this pathway leads past the Nostalgia

to beds of Dementia gay

 

I’ll pick you some scarlet Alzheimers

with maybe Forgetfulness blue

as well as a few little Asthmas

to add an alternative hue

 

and now to complete your own posy

I’ll add some Sciatica sprigs

with trimmings of climbing Fibrosis

and fragrant Incontinence twigs

 

my favourite bloom is Arthritis

which grows in profusion just here

while this Hypertension’s so pungent

it keeps all your sinuses clear

 

and don’t you just love that Angina

beside the Glaucoma so bright!

the Flatulence perfume’s exquisite

and often much stronger at night

 

there’s nothing to equal a garden

for bringing one pleasure and peace

where one can grow pretty Offensive

while slowly one’s marbles decrease

(c) Mona E. Randall

Mona Randall in her own beautiful garden

The above poem comes from The Geriatric Garden and other poems (Boulder Press, Nelson 2010).

Mona reckons that when she published her first book  at 86 years of age she must be one of the oldest authors in the country to do so. Mona has recently had a heart attack and is still in hospital. But she is looking forward to celebrating her 89th birthday on the 4th of  July (with fireworks of course) as she enters her ninetieth year! She is especially looking forward to checking out her garden and doing some more planting, though with a grin, husband Clem declares this as tiger country for Mona at present.

I am lucky to count Mona as a wonderful friend and inspiration. She has a terrific sense of humour and always makes me laugh. Mona is a wordlover, prolific family history and newsletter writer, moving more recently into short stories and poetry. She is also a multiple winner in Bay Lit, the annual Golden Bay writing competition and has been a regular performer at The Mussel Inn’s Live Poets. and let’s not forget she is also a theatre buff, actor, producer, musical director, pianist, chorister, gardener and story-telling granny, great granny and great-great granny. And most of this is since her retirement!

To read a great article about how Mona and Clem developed their beautiful garden from the gorse, go  here Scroll down to Mudcakes and Roses Issue August to September 2010 and enjoy.

The Geriatric Garden and other poems can be ordered from Page and Blackmore here

Remember to return to the Tuesday Poem Blog and  enjoy this week’s edit from Tim Jones and the great selection of poetry from other Tuesday Poets in the sidebar. Have a great week 🙂