Wrinkles
by Kristine Stanton © 2023When I looked into the mirror
I said, "who could that be?"
I saw a face with wrinkles
just staring back at me.
The wrinkles—far too many
looked like a roadway map.
They went in all directions,
and some did overlap.
While standing in amazement
by what was on display,
I counted every wrinkle
and shouted out, "no way!"
And then my eyes sprung open—
"what's that upon my head?!!!
There must have been some outbreak
that caused those silver threads!" . . .
God had a sense of humor
when He designed gray hair.
But with it, He gave wisdom
for each of us to share.
I had some mixed emotions
and thought of days gone by,
then looked into the mirror
and breathed a heavy sigh.
I held onto the picture—
the one formed in my mind,
then looked back in the mirror
and saw age well defined.
It's then I was so grateful
for everything I'd earned—
gray hair and aging wrinkles
and every lesson learned.
This poem was a finalist in the
June 2023 poetry contest
