Fresh and Young

[aschueler]

Fresh and Young
 
Moment to moment,
this old heart must decide,
if it is worth the effort,
to gather the energy,
for one more beat,
too keep this body alive. I read your comments about these commas. I have to say I do know a lot of very old people, and to me this came across as melodramatic.... Usually people get short winded when truly tired.
 
I see young children play
and I think I would not mind
having some of that energy—. Seems cliched here 
age and wisdom are highly over-rated—.
Some of my peers rail and jeer
at the young girls dressed so skimpily.
"It should be banned," they say,
but they only talk that way
because they would like to partake. I did like this line here
 
Do not be deceived by the old
with skin reptilian dry
and kisses of Death's cold.
Given half a chance
they would take your youthful warmth  
leaving you a worthless husk to fill their place. Creepy shit
So do not come too close,
do not let your heart feel
sorrow for these "oldlings".
 
They have, had their one chance at life
and used it for good or ill,
but I will tell you a secret;
each and everyone of them has one regret.
It burns them and the burning is never done.
They burn to trade the used life they have
for one still fresh and young.   Is this a regret or a desire?
 
erthona
 
©2016

I enjoyed your poem, but significant bits didn't seem authentic.  I see a lot of elderly take energy from youth in a non vampiric way that breaks  the law of conservation of energy.