In Old Age To Die Young (poem) by John Herlihy on AuthorsDen

In Old Age To Die Young
by John Herlihy → (All Poetry by John Herlihy)
Tuesday, February 24, 2026 Rated "G" by the Author.

Save

Follow Share on Facebook



In Old Age to Die Young by John Herlihy I hope in my old age to die young, More light than darkness in me spun. As I look to my youth, I have to laugh, I wanted to increase my age by half. How could I shed my skin and grow up, How could I rid myself feeling as a pup. Grow up I did, time’s arrow never does stay, The half century gone by seems as yesterday. Now I wish to end my days without pretense, Capturing if possible that feeling of innocence. That sweet innocence that only children know, All the wild fantasies their imaginations bestow. Collecting grasshoppers, ladybugs and fireflies, Imagine the wonder when a praying mantis flies. To see things thru aging eyes as if never before, Seeing everything again for the first time, galore. If age teaches anything it is to abandon all fear, A long lifetime of days all the while God is near. We live within a reality that speaks one thing true , The one thing we need to know we never knew. - - - - Copyright © John Herlihy Sunday 9 November 2025

Reviewed by Diana Legun

Reviewed on March 3, 2026

This time I savor your very last line because it holds a kind of haunting puzzle of a thought. Time to roll it around in my mind like a lozenge. If the wings of the man is your AI, it is a stunning image. Crack on, John* you are expressing the good stuff. ~~ djl

Reviewed by Odin odin@aflx.com

Reviewed on March 1, 2026

As your aray of word pictures convey, one can die young.

"Collecting grasshoppers, ladybugs and fireflies,

Imagine the wonder when a praying mantis flies.

To see things thru aging eyes as if never before,

Seeing everything again for the first time, galore."

The passage that says so much. As we age, this would be a good paste on the bathroom mirror choice.

Reviewed by Jms Bell

Reviewed on February 24, 2026

I STILL ENJOY AND APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY OF NATURE, BUT I WOULDN'T TRADE THE 'WISDOM' THAT OLD AGE HAS GIVEN TO ME FOR NOTHING IN THIS WORLD! I AM SO GRATEFUL TO GOD THAT HE HAS SEVERED A GREAT DEAL OF MY YOUNG 'NONSENSE' ENABLING ME TO SEE HIM CLEARER! I WAS SO 'BLIND' BACK THEN, JOHN...I REALLY AM THANKFUL TO BE FREE OF THE 'WEIGHT' OF 'BEING YOUNG' AND FOOLISH. THANKS FOR SHARING. LOVE, BLESSINGS AND FAITH...HIS+ INSPIRATIONS

Reviewed by Ronald Hull

Your poem ends with the mysterious riddle. I guess life is like that. Summed up like Forrest Gump. "Like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get."

Ron

Reviewed by Rebecca McKeehan

When we are children we play games. Then we spend years working before retirement and finally once again playing, but different games. If we're lucky.

Rebecca