FAINT HEART

First published in January 2021

Coping
with failing sight
is not
for the faint-hearted.
It's a slow business,
first print
stutters on the page
and you rub your eyes
to no avail.

The optician sells you
stronger spectacles,
new driving glasses,
but hedges, signposts
and white lines
soon start to merge -
reluctantly you give up
your licence
and your independence.

Friends turn
into strangers
and you apologise
for not recognising them.
You can't read labels,
use dried basil instead
of parsley, makes for
an interesting soup.

The consultant
shakes his head, pats you
on the shoulder, says,
'There's nothing more
we can do for you',
crosses you off his list
so you're on
a steep learning curve

dodgy eyes, poems in bold
and a larger font size
as computers
come into their own
and you by-pass mirrors,
(not to be recommended
for the faint-of-heart).