Happy Retirement

An original poem by me.

(photo modified by me, taken courtesy of Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/en/business-people-the-company-office-1572059/)

#Happy Retirement

I watch the company webpage for retirement announcements
because I want to see what each person says
when asked how they'll spend their free time.

All I think is that it's sad
that the things retirees say they plan to do
are things they could have done all along.

All I think is that I hope
they have many years to enjoy,
because there are not guarantees.

We put pictures of things we'd rather be doing
and people we'd rather be with
on our desks in little styled frames.

Our desks like altars to the god of work,
we give offerings in these symbolic photos,
our time with family and passions sacrificed.

If we're good enough,
if we serve long enough, we can spend
all our time like in those photos.

I read every retirement announcement
because it reminds me not to give up
on wanting and hoping for something else.

I dare to want things now--not later.
I want to spend all my time where I won't need photos,
because all I'll have to do to be happy is look around.