the years of dings and rough and tumble
lend some juice to moans and groans
and you fall when once you’d stumble
and then feel it in your bones
gradually you can’t avoid all
manner of those it-hurts signals
waveforms slightly sinusoidal
muscle cramps and hamstring bid pulls
choose to be sanguine and stoic
makes the aches your friends–you’ll see
from the distant Mesozoic
Cease to Ache means Cease to Be.


