First Book of 2019

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This book of poems by Judith Viorst is delightful. I’m Too Young to Be Seventy, and Other Delusions, is full of poems that are both humorous and poignant. She nails the aging process in every way, from the physical changes, to the relationship changes. From children growing up and the arrival of grandchildren. From the unavoidable realization of limited instead of limitless time.  I decided that since I am turning seventy later this month, I should return the library book and buy a copy for myself.

As you probably know, Judith Viorst writes wonderfully humorous books. My family loved her book for children (of all ages!), Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.  It was originally published in 1972, when my son was 6 months old. We read it to him, and then to our daughter, many times, and the well-worn book now sits on my grandson’s bookshelf. It’s amazing to realize that she has been a part of my life for almost half a century!

As Time Goes By

I wake on Monday,
Eat lunch on Wednesday,
Go to sleep on Friday,
And next thing I know it’s
The middle of next week
And I am shaking mothballs
Out of the winter clothes
I stored for the summer
Five minutes ago,
Because snowstorms follow
The Fourth of July
Faster than faxes,
Faster than e-mail,
Faster, maybe, than the speed of light.

You want to slow down time?
Try root canal.
Try an MRI.
Try waiting for the report on the biopsy.
Or try being a child on a rainy morning
With nothing to do,
Wishing away the hours, the days, the years,
As if there will
Always
Always
Always
Be more.

This First Book of the Year 2019 is also part of my year-long celebration of turning 70 years old.

 

THANK YOU, Sheila, from Book Journey, for hosting this fun event at the first of each year!

10 thoughts on “First Book of 2019”

    1. Robin Post author

      Happy New Year to you, too, Andrea! I just discovered her “year” books. I’m sorry I missed the others when I was at those ages! She’s so much fun.

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    1. Robin Post author

      Thanks, Iliana! I’ve enjoyed my reading today…some of the poems are really funny and some are really heartfelt. I enjoyed it a lot, and I understand there are books for other ages (that I missed as I sped past 50 and 60)! Anyway, I’m hoping this will be a fun reading year, so this was a nice beginning.

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    1. Robin Post author

      I had no idea she had written these “age” books! I did love that poem and a couple of others from the 70 book. I thought I’d share them at different times throughout the year.

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