Ageless Spirit

The concert hall is bulging
With silver, grey, white, and bald heads
Mixed with a few scattered brunettes and blondes
The air is electric with anticipation
Conversations fill the theater
Like a bowl of Rice Krispies
Strangers connecting
Sharing stories
Of how Tom’s music
Has impacted their lives
People recall the details 
Of a show
Some fifty years past
With smiles adorning their faces
It could be thought
All are trying merely to 
Recapture their youth
Maybe some of the energy
Erupting within
Is memories being unearthed
Triggering joy
But as Tom Rush
Humbly
Without introduction
(none required!)
Ambles out onto the stage
The electricity crackling 
Through the air
Is here. Now. In this moment.
Tom stands fully present
Not a ghost of yesterday
His eyes are sparkling with joy and fun
His face
Wearing the wrinkles of a life
Of laughter, love and authenticity
As he radiates life 
Ageless spirit of life
He strums his guitar
Sings out the lyrics
Tells the stories
And makes us laugh
He gives no apology 
For his 80+ years
(None required!)
As he performs his creations
Old and new
He introduces songs
From his new album
So aptly titled
Gardens Old
 Flowers New
So true
We,
The silver heads
Leaning on canes
Wearing braces
Slow sometimes to move
Turning up our hearing aides
We are old gardens
Being fertilized tonight
With joy and love of life
With merriment and truth
We leave the theater
Returning to our own worlds
Ready, maybe 
To embrace
Our own well-nourished gardens of life
And grow new flowers
To share 
To cherish
To treasure
Ageless beauty.
Ageless spirits.