Life's Badges

Old age is for the lucky who make it there. Our outer appearance changes, we may forget where we put our keys, or mismatch our clothes. But the inner soul remains youthful and eager to proceed in life. 

My poem was inspired by Asian wooden figurines, one being an old man stooped over but looking to be walking on a path.


Life's Badges

My spine is curved forward
And I walk with a cane.

My beard is white
And my head bears no hair.

My teeth are false
And my eyes are a blur.

At times my hands tremble,
My mind draws a blank.

I don't sleep through the night,
But nap in the day.

I can remember being a child
As if it were yesterday,
But today I have trouble recalling your name.

These are the badges
I've earned with my age.

I'm old but not broken,
A little tattered and worn.

My time in this body
May be drawing to end,
But I cherish where it has taken me.

This is a gift.
What a wonderful life!

The Art of Kokedama

 Kokedama what?

What the heck is a Kokedama? I'm glad you asked! 
Kokedama is a style of Japanese bonsai made by taking a small plant and putting it into a ball of special soil held together with moss and string. The art of Kokedama literally translates from “koke” meaning moss and “dama” meaning ball. 

I made one of these beauties at a recent Cancer Support Community workshop given by Patrice Hanlon, a therapeutic garden designer. She gave the class a brief history of this living art form and then gave us the materials to create our own Kokedama to take home.

My plant is settled into a ball of soil then wrapped in a comfy wet burlap blanket. This helps keep the plant damp and the soil from falling apart.

Next, moss is folded up around the burlap and secured with wire or string. The moss is another layer of insulation and keeps the plant happy.

My finished Kokedama! 



These would be lovely hanging over a porch, on a decorative plate, or put inside of a nice bowl.

Here are a few more made by others in the workshop... 

To make one of your own, browse through YouTube videos. I found a short-but-sweet video made by Better Homes and Gardens. 

Enjoy your Kokedama!