FOR BETTER OR VERSE
by John T. Baker
I am old, I am told, and less skillful
And my trinkets are tarnished by time;
I now fumble and mumble and stumble -
But I still get a thrill out of rhyme.

I just mutter and putter and splutter
And my memory's not worth a dime
As I amble and ramble and scramble -
But I still get a thrill out of rhyme.

And who knows, if I chose other hobbies,
Might the gain be a drain on my purse?
I have looked but I'm hooked on poetics -
Nothing worse than the curse of my verse.

So it may every day get much harder,
And I fear I am far from my prime,
But as long and as strong as I'm able
I will stick to the kick of my rhyme.