Dorothy Kligerman is ninety-five years old, widowed, with three married children, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Her first published work appeared in February, 1931, in The Record Book of her graduating class at Simon Gratz High School in Philadelphia, PA. The next time her work appeared in print was not until the 1980s, while she was working as a reporter for the Mt. Airy Express. The paper folded at the end of that decade. Again there was a hiatus, until in 2006 she enrolled at TARP (Temple Association for Retired Persons), sponsored by Temple University, which offers many courses for senior citizens. She enrolled in the Poetry Workshop, led by the energetic and inspirational Peggy Walsh McKenna. The following poem first appeared in Pulse Magazine.
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REFLECTIONS OF A SENIOR CITIZEN
I used to talk of fun and games
Now I talk of aches and pains.
I used to paint the town bright red
Now at nine I am in bed.
I used to dream of lovers bold.
Now, if truth be told
The only men who interest me
Are those with a medical degree.
"Why," you ask, "have they such clout?"
Well - we have so much to talk about:
There's my arthritis and stenosis,
Hypertension, scoliosis.
In a cozy room, alone, we chat.
We never have a lover's spat.
So keep your handsome Romeos
I'll always take those medicos!
- Dorothy Kligerman