Let other leaders br Retire br To play golf br & write br Memoirs br About bombing br Villages br They've never seen. br br Growing old br Presents a peril br They may not br Expect. br br It is to lose br One's soul br In trivia br & irrelevance br The nerve br Endings br Blunted br By the constant br Pressure br Of moral br Indifference. br br Growing old br A curse: br Not even br Generally speaking br Able br To relate br To whoever br Shares br br Your house. Not the mansion br You inhabit br On the br Lovely stolen hill br Above the sea br Or the interior one: br The darkened br Desolate br Shack. br br You want to grow old br Like br The Carters; br Curing blindness br & br Building houses br For br The Poor; br br Making friends of those br Who believe br They must fight. br br You want to grow old br Like br The Carters br Holding hands br With someone br You love br & br Riding bicycles br Leisurely br Where the ground br Is well known br & perfectly br Flat. br br You want to find br And keep to the path br Laid down br Inside you br Such a long time br Ago. br br You want to grow old br Like br The Carters: br Serene. Eyes br Twinkling br To be accused br Of br Not getting br It right. br br Upfront, upright. br Speaking what to you is true. br br A person rich in Mothers. br Beloved. br br And: br Honoring what is black br In you.