While I can still rock
a sexy halter top, tastefully, though,
and not too cropped—
when that day comes,
ladies of a certain age get the drift,
when the question
has turned to when, not if—
it’s off to the thrift to
alter top.
© 2025 Jennifer Wagner
dVerse Quadrille: a poem of exactly 44 words including the word “alter"
Day 21 of NPM
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Congratulations!
You’ve won a
Colonoscopy!
Mammogram: check. Results are normal
but let’s have another check.
Blood draw: check.
Menopause: check, check, check.
Hot flashes! That’ll treat the cold of
all these needles and machines
and thinning skin.
An MRI, too! What fun!
All those joyous sounds!
Cervical spondylosis
is as sublime as it sounds,
so let’s strap this cage to your face
to keep the party going while we’re at it!
You didn’t hear that? Oh, it’s just as well.
Forgot your readers? That’s OK, too.
Can’t remember?
You won’t want to, anyway—
but enjoy!
We’re just getting started with you!
© 2025 Jennifer Wagner
What Cold Is at What’s Going On