One of my friends, Brian, is known for his thoughtful poetry and art, so I asked if him about retirement. In no time at all – and while he was on holiday – this is what he came up with:
We plan and long for the day
When we can ignore the alarm and stay
In bed and turn over with a smile!
Yes it can feel like holiday for a while
Watching safely from the shore
On the struggles of others as they pour
Over charts, wrestle with tide and wave.
Our experienced advice can appear so brave,
But then you feel cut off at the knees,
Even though you spend hours as you please.
Gone is the rhythm, the raisin d’être.
You miss the status, colleagues, routines etc.
For avoiding depression or lethargy
New routines and targets seem to be the key.
There’s time to review one’s aims in life
To tackle the jobs list given by the wife,
That we were too busy before to do
With a full time job and social life too.
New opportunities for using your skills,
So long as you continue to take those pills!
Watercolour and poem copyright Brian Wakeman, used here with his permission.