The Sand Hill Review               http://www.sandhillreview.org 2005

Reunions

The 5th and 10th come with small bragging rights:

degrees, jobs, weight loss and

woo woo woo, maybe a spouse,

even a baby or two.

The 25th and 35th have big bragging rights:

who got rich

who got famous

who got published

and who broke the mold

became a Buddhist priest

had a sex change

survived cancer

lived on a remote island and married its Grand Poobah?

Now I am at number 45.

Everything bragged about before

is no big deal.

We have all lost loved ones.

Life is the big deal.

At first, we talk of high school high jinx

then venture into music, sport and grandchildren.

Inevitably the topic changes

to diets, pills and knees.

Silently I note the wrinkles, tremors

and gray hair of my classmates and think

I love them more than ever.

We are all so equal now.

April Eiler