Results of Poetry Duel #12

The twelfth duel continues the series of close results. Both poems got the same number of votes but, in a change, the "established" poet's poem was rated higher. On the right was Maya Angelou's poem "My Younger Days" which gained an average rating of 4.5. On the left, finishing second, was my own poem "Overtaken" which was written for a 30 poems in 30 days competition.

My Younger Days

When I was in my younger days,
I weighed a few pounds less,
I needn't hold my tummy in
to wear a belted dress.

But now that I am older,
I've set my body free;
There's the comfort of elastic
Where once my waist would be.

Inventor of those high-heeled shoes
My feet have not forgiven;
I have to wear a nine now,
But used to wear a seven.

And how about those pantyhose-
They're sized by weight, you see,
So how come when I put them on
The crotch is at my knee?

I need to wear these glasses
As the print's been getting smaller;
And it wasn't very long ago
I know that I was taller.

Though my hair has turned to gray
and my skin no longer fits,
On the inside, I'm the same old me,
It's the outside's changed a bit.

Overtaken

Work! Deadlines!
The mad rush to get the errands done

Without much thought
The eyes lose focus, the head spins

All you want is the merry-go-round
To stop.

A single brown and white bird
Sits on the branch outside the window

A few brave buds dotting its length.
The bird, a sparrow, bursts into song

And a blast of sunlight
Speckles its beak and wings.

You listen
And the argument in the cubicle

Next door fades; the insistent
Reminder on the computer is a little

Less insistent and you notice
The daffodils blooming by the walk

For the first time
Overtaken by spring.