At Ninety-Four
She walks with pain,
But does not complain
(At least , not too much)
We all, who are getting older,
Know that her rightful need to walk somewhat slower,
And the urgency for everyone to speak a little louder.
She is mother, grandmother, great-grandmother,
Sister, aunt and cousin.
All these designates have accumulated
During her four generations of endurance.
The Broncos have become her favorite team,
Even if she doesn’t quite understand the phrase “third and 3.”
Or, why the big monsters have to jump on Elway.
But, at ninety-four,
Is there anyone here who would not exclaim,
“Would that I shall be as alive
When I arrive at her venerable age!”?
So, then, when next year shall arrive,
Please let all of us now here
Be able to applaud her arrival at ninety-five.
At Ninety-Five
When she chalked up number ninety-four,
We appealed the forces on high
To allow us to celebrate her arrival at ninety-five.
Our prayers have been answered and the great day has arrived.
The days have followed, as they have before.
Not exactly, however, for changes have transpired:
The walking may be even slower,
The hearing even less,
But, yet, her checkbook balance is still almost always precise.
She wonders “what the world is coming to?”
But, she wondered that when her children were young.
Now that her grandchildren have children, the world remains confusing.
As before , dear Sima Leah, we here do implore
That we can honor your arrival at February 7, 1994.
— Shash Hailpern – Feb, 1993
Sadie Hailpern (Sima Leah) died peacefully, with her children at her beside, October 26, 1996, at the age of 98.
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