Exit

'There's a trick to the Graceful Exit.
It begins with the vision to recognize
when a job, a life stage, a relationship
is over - and to let go.'
- Ellen Goodman

In the wings
I was having a conversation

with
The Arrogance of Youth

and was impressed
by his confidence

and bravado
and charmed, also,

when he said
I didn’t look my age.

I watched
as he took the stage

and wowed
the crowd.

I do admit,
so will say it,

he deserved the applause,
and the adulation,

of course
he did

the young,
confident,

charming,
bastard.

Exiting
he brushed past me

with a grin like Carroll’s Cheshire cat
and gave me a look

that said,
‘Go on old boy,

follow that!’