poetry, Mid Life Crisis by Janet S Rogers

I was asked to share my poem, Mid Life Crisis, with all of you ladies of a certain age, published by
Grimmers ink in
'This Way Up' A collection of poetic works by Janet S Rogers

Mid Life Crisis by Janet S Rogers

The transition from mid to old age, I've no idea when it began
All I know is that I've reached that age and my life of normalities done.
I cry with the slightest emotion, the next I fly into a rage,
With panic attacks and pains in my back, I am sure that I am quite insane

My symptoms I'm told are quite normal and my GP calls me by my first name
Well what would she know, she's got years to go and I could be dead the next day.
I walk into a room to get something and forget what I went in there for,
with my scarlet face looking like I've been nuked before I get to the door

They say PMT is a curse, expected when your periods due,
and children a pain, bad behaviour explained as puberty looms into view
But nobody mentioned the menopause, the sweating and glowing red face
The hysterical crying and laughter with your mind all over the place.

I could probably get away with murder or shoplifting an item or two
But a woman my age who has reached this stage, it's the last thing expected from you
How long does one have to endure this? The truth is they really don't know
So I will go back to my madness and hope that my symptoms won't show

copyright 2011 Janet S Rogers, All Rights Reserved.
can also be found hanging on a wall somewhere in a C.S.A office in Plymouth
and in an anthology published by United Press.

Thoughts of a writer on World book day

  One day a year allotted to books is less than useless, perhaps if we placed more emphasis on the importance of books and reading of every kind, of writing (my preference is handwriting) spelling and listening, we would all learn something new everyday and have a better understanding of each other. It seems that since the the introduction of the use of computers in schools our children don't learn to write by hand or spell, most don't even know how to use a dictionary. The internet has become overwhelmed with books and words that will never be heard or read and when we have to go back to basics, there will be nobody left who knows how to and no libraries left either. Teach children to write, to form letters, even write letters and spell (before introducing them to the computer) make them think and use they're imaginations, a computer should be a tool to enhance education and imagination not to replace it.
 I became a writer in 2005, after an accident, I had to give up my day job, all of my employment since starting work in 1974 has been manual and involved no writing. I had and still have no paper qualifications. I had to return to the basic skills I learnt at primary school, I had no formal education past age 12. Without that early learning I wouldn't be writing this today, without it I would have been lost. There is a lesson to be leant there

A moment of pure coincidence to the non believer

I'd like to know whether you think this is pure coincidence or is there anybody there.

         It isn't unusual for me to feel as if someone is watching me or to see shadows and hear unusual noises but although this has happened with startlingly regularity since childhood and more so in later years it often intensifies around certain anniversaries of births or deaths etc. Obviously as you would expect, the person is always at the forefront of your mind at such times and coupled with a vivid imagination, some things can be seen as wishful thinking and in this case I wish my Dad, (2/3/1930-12/10/2005 was still here and with his birthday being tomorrow he has obviously been in the forefront of my mind for a few days now.

A little about the man:
 He was of Romany descent, a private man with strong views and a love of wildlife and the natural world, he loved to go river fishing, collected stamps and loved his garden, he enjoyed a couple of pints although I never saw him drunk, he was a carpet fitter all of his adult life. Until the last couple of years of his life I knew little about the depth of his thoughts and beliefs

Monday 28th Feb 2011. 5.10pm, I'm in my kitchen preparing dinner. From my kitchen I can see most of the ground floor of my home, I am the only one downstairs, my husband is upstairs as usual watching TV waiting for his dinner. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a shadow move and of course looked round, nothing there, this happened several times more with movement catching my eye, there was the overwhelming feeling of being watched from my lounge and then further movement in my hallway and my coat fell off the peg. I said out loud, which may seem like a sign of insanity in itself but something I do regularly.

'Not now, just go away I'm busy'

Still unnerved I left the dinner to cook away whilst I returned upstairs to my husband, safety in numbers and all that.Just as I did so, there was a commercial break, so in my head I said
 'if you are really here there will be fishing rods in these ads'
I then repeated my thoughts to my husband

1st ad, life insurance introduced by the long suffering wife of Victor Meldrew, saving for your funeral for your family when your no longer here etc
2nd ad, accident claims
3rd ad, two men in a tent with fishing rods to their side and a tackle box, no idea what the ad was about a little stunned, as was my husband
4th ad, Another ad no idea what it was about but a river scene and birds, still stunned
5th Was a trailer for only fools and horses early years, a load of young blokes stood by a van full of rolls of carpet
then returned to the programme
 Now I would like your opinion, yes or no would do, is my father or his spirit here or is this pure coincidence.
Thanks Janet S Rogers

                    For those of you who have an interest in such matters, my next book
 'All Done By Mirrors' by Janet S Rogers will be published soon