The Seven Ages of Woman

The seven ages of woman
I
Swathed in pink, her father’s joy
Though mummy secretly wanted a boy
Her early years, with teddies, dollies
And tiny mini shopping trolleys
Did they define her path for life,
Schoolgirl, teenager, career girl, wife?
II
And thence to school where childhood’ toys
She finds replaced by <whisper>BOYS
Embarking on her teenage years
With body image, worries, fears
III
The years tick on, she finds a job
She shares a flat, the boy’s a slob
But after many a tedious night
At last she finds her Mr Right
She is a bride with all that brings.
The wedding dress, the flowers, the rings
Her father walks her down the aisle, her mum in peach can risk a smile
Their little girl at last a wife, the main ambition of her life
IV
New wife, young mum, her life seems set
To follow that of others yet
The joy of children soon outweighs the memories of carefree days.
Her sleepless nights not out at clubs or parties or at bars or pubs
But still the wife, the mum sees how her parents fears for her are now Transferred to those most precious gifts, if only Dad would take his shifts.
V
The empty nester may feel spare
No mess to clear, no car to share
But still she knows her role must change
So committees she will now arrange.
There’s golf, Pilates, Zumba, t’ai chi
To pass the time, coffee, lunch and tea.
VI
But then her focus moves
To tiny babes again, she loves them with a passion warm
She has not felt since hers were born.
Once more her house with laughter rings and Lego bricks and plastic things Adorn her carpet, does she care? Of course not, the DGC were there.
VII
But hark the life clock still is ticking,
Perhaps her husband may have sickened
And one day she awakes alone
Bewildered where the years have gone.
No longer lithe, no longer busy
She easily gets in a tizzy
Her children say “ to save a fuss, You really need to stay with us.”
The circle of life begins to close
She sighs and thinks of all of those
who loved her then, whom she has loved
And will they meet again above?
They live on in her children’s genes, their daughters, sons.

She sighs and smiles
Her job is done.