I would rather grow old outdoors

reduced like beach sand,

sharpened and dried

until the glistening

sets in. I'd rather wash up

like a horseshoe crab

or leave the footprints

of a tiny, running bird

and listen to the moonlight

stretch across the bay. Not for me,

please, controlled

climate, wall-to-wall. I hope

for tough, brown feet,

and sun-bleached

eyes, for wrinkled cheeks

that taste of salt. I want to sing

as a hollow reed in the night's

strange wind, the one true note I am.

©2009 Patricia Lee Lewis

Listen to "I would rather grow old outdoors" read by Patricia Lee Lewis

Patricia Lee Lewis, author of the award-winning poetry collection, "A Kind of Yellow," leads writing and yoga retreats in Guatemala, Wales, Ireland, the Berkshires and Texas. She lives in Westhampton.

"Hear a Poet, There a Poet" features poetry by local authors chosen by Northampton's Poet Laureate Lesléa Newman. It runs on Wednesday's book page every other week. Poems for this column have been pre-selected. Please do not send poetry submissions or requests to the Gazette.