‘Song at Sunset’ by Connie Phillips

Song at Sunset

The sun sets ‘neath the mountain top:
__A golden orb that blinks
And just for seconds lights the sky
__Ablaze before it sinks.

I see the sunset in your eyes,
__Heart sinking in your breast…
And bend to give you one last kiss
__Before your final rest.

A lake just isn’t deep enough
__To hold the floods of tears
That swell and swirl within my heart
__When I recall the years…

Those years and years—all of my life—
__When you were always there…
The laughter, love, and joy I felt
__In that brief time we shared.

Though we expect and plan to live
__A life that we design,
We’ve no control o’er anything—
__To fate we must resign.

But faith the sun will rise again
__Will keep my spirit strong,
And keep you always near to me
__In mem’ry and in song.

I know you rest eternally
__With God—where you belong.

Poor Gluteus

Alas, poor Gluteus!
__I had you at hello.
But everything has changed,
__As that was years ago.

I used to walk and run
__Or bike most everywhere,
But then I traded in
__My Nikes for a chair.

So comfy and so soft
__I didn’t want to leave,
And never had the thought
__That I would be deceived.

And never did I think
__I’d be swept off my feet,
And so completely taken
__With a cushy seat!

And then, it was a car
__And benches, couches, stools…
Oh, I just didn’t see
__I was a perfect fool!

But since I was so duped,
__Because I let you go,
I’ve nothing but regret
__And nothing now to show.

So people, listen up!
__It’s not a piece of cake!
Ol’ Gluteus needs help…
__Please learn from my mistake:

Don’t let yourself get hooked
__On riding around town.
Dust off your sneakers now—
__Don’t take it sitting down!

Connie Phillips is a former English teacher and editor living in Massachusetts.