Most 50th Birthday Poems are funny and relate to the ravages of time on mind and body. Many relate to physical things you can no longer do or the fact that your body is starting to head south. The effect on the mind is usually related to loss of memory. This page brings you links to lots of funny birthday poems and brings you two lovely but very different pieces of work
Forgetfulness
The name of the author is the first to go followed obediently by the title, the plot, the heartbreaking conclusion, the entire novel which suddenly becomes one you have never read, never even heard of,
as if, one by one, the memories you used to harbor decided to retire to the southern hemisphere of the brain, to a little fishing village where there are no phones.
Long ago you kissed the names of the nine Muses goodbye and watched the quadratic equation pack its bag, and even now as you memorize the order of the planets,
something else is slipping away, a state flower perhaps, the address of an uncle, the capital of Paraguay.
Whatever it is you are struggling to remember, it is not poised on the tip of your tongue, not even lurking in some obscure corner of your spleen.
It has floated away down a dark mythological river whose name begins with an L as far as you can recall, well on your own way to oblivion where you will join those who have even forgotten how to swim and how to ride a bicycle.
No wonder you rise in the middle of the night to look up the date of a famous battle in a book on war. No wonder the moon in the window seems to have drifted out of a love poem that you used to know by heart.
Billy Collins
And here it is on YouTube
50th Birthday Poems
"The Remember Song"
Looking for my wallet and my car keys, Well they can’t have gone too far; And just as soon as I find my glasses I’m sure I’ll see just where they are.
Supposed to meet someone for lunch today, But I can’t remember where Or who it is that I am meeting: It’s in my organiser ~ somewhere.
I might have left it on the counter; Maybe outside in the car. Last time I remember driving Was to that Memory Enhancement Seminar.
What's that far-off distant ringing and that strangely familiar tone? Must be the person I am meeting Calling me on my brand new cordless ‘phone.
I might have left it under the covers, Or maybe outside on the lawn; And I’ve got just one more ring to go Before my answering machine kicks on.
*Click*
“Hi, this is Tom and your call means a lot to me, So leave a message at the tone And I’ll do my best to try to remember To call you back when I get home.”
*Beep*
“Tom, this is Gwendoline, and I am trying not to cry But I’ve been waiting here for over an hour I thought you loved me. This is goodbye!”
Hell, the voice sounds familiar, And the name it rings a bell. Let’s see now, where was I? Oh well…
50th Birthday Poems
Tom Rush www.tomrush.com sings "The Remember Song" – written by Steven Walters
