A Universe of Mortals

First, I caught him sitting down to shave.

Then, I noticed how many tries before
he could push up from the couch.

Retired ten years, it doesn’t matter
that he lies in bed unwilling to budge
until 9:30 or 10, except to me, who misses
the man who once rose at 6 a.m.
to bike before work, who played tennis
on Saturdays, bowled on Thursday nights.

His doctor blames blood cells
refusing to offer
the right numbers on tests.

I blame a universe of mortals.

Where precious and permanent
cannot be paired.

And growing older means
preparing to let go.

Jacqueline Jules is the author of Manna in the Morning (Kelsay Books, 2021) and Itzhak Perlman's Broken String, winner of the 2016 Helen Kay Chapbook Prize from Evening Street Press. Her poetry has appeared in over 100 publications including Amethyst Review, The Sunlight Press, Gyroscope Review, and One Art. Visit www.jacquelinejules.com