Donald Traxler's Poetry

Saturday, February 11, 2023

Aging Project XXVIII

Aging Project 80.39 years

I rarely post color photos, but why not? It's a lot less work for me, and they are, after all, not art photos, but photos of record. A color photo also gives more information than a black-and-white photo. Since my goal here is to document the process of my aging, information is what it's all about.

In my previous post in this series, I mentioned having hurt my shoulder. Actually, I've figured out what happened, and it wasn't exactly that. About six years ago, while we were living in Uruguay, I badly pulled (tore? I don't know) a deltoid muscle in my left arm. It took about six months to heal, and it has been vulnerable to injury since then. I injured it again in the course of taking the cover off our new hot tub.

It's all too easy to forget that, as seniors, we are much more vulnerable to injuries than we were when we were younger.

Get someone to help you, or devise a method for doing the job that will put less strain on your body.

My current weight is 141.0 lbs. (64.1 kg). In three days I've gained 1.4 lbs. (.6 kg), and that's what allowing yourself a beer now and then, or maybe some snack crackers, will do for you. At least my wedding ring isn't falling off anymore. But I've got to watch it, because the weight goes right to my gut.

I'm still walking Betty, our dog, for about half an hour every day (except today, because here on the Gulf coast of central Florida it's quite stormy right now. Betty hates that, and I don't like it much, either).

Any comments will be very welcome. You can enter them directly on this page, or send them to me:

exolinguist at gmail dot com

Thanks for reading my blog and following this series.

Photo - Still Life I

Friday, February 10, 2023

PSALM 15

Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent,

who shall dwell on your holy mountain?

They who walk immaculately and do justice,

who speak truth in their hearts,

and have no slander on their tongues;

who do no evil to their friends

nor take up reproach against their neighbors;

who despise reprobates,

but honor those who fear the Lord;

who stand by their oaths

even to their own harm,

and do not renege,

who do not lend money at interest,

nor accept bribes against the innocent.

Those who do these things

shall not be shaken forever.

Thursday, February 9, 2023

PSALM 14

The fool says in his heart:

"There is no God."

They are corrupt,

and they have eagerly done

abominable things.

There is none who does good.

The Lord looks down from heaven

upon the children of men,

to see whether there is anyone

who is wise or seeks God.

All have turned away and are depraved.

There is no one who does good,

not even one.

Will they ever learn,

those who do injustice,

who devour my people

as they would bread,

and do not call upon the Lord?

There they will tremble with fear,

for God is with a righteous generation.

You have put to shame the plans of the poor,

because the Lord is their hope.

Who will bring the deliverance of Israel

out from Zion?

When the Lord overturns the captivity of his people,

Jacob will exult, and Israel will rejoice.

Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Aging Project XXVII

". . . off of it. . . "

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

PSALM 13

How long, O Lord, will you completely forget me?

How long will you hide your face from me?

How long will I suffer doubts in my soul,

and grief every day in my heart?

How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

Look at me, answer me, O Lord, my God!

Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep unto death,

and my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him."

My foes will rejoice when I have been shaken.

But I will trust in your mercy;

my heart will rejoice in your deliverance.

I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me.

Monday, February 6, 2023

PSALM 12

Help, O Lord,

for the devout are few

and the faithful have vanished

from among the children of men.

They speak deceptively

to each other, with

lying lips

and duplicitous hearts.

May the Lord cast off all

lying lips and

boastful tongues,

those who say:

"Let us strengthen our tongue,

our lips are with us,

who can be our master?"

"Because of the plundering of the poor

and the groans of the needy,

I will now rise up," says the Lord;

"and give them saving aid."

The words of the Lord

are pure;

they are silver tested in fire,

separated from soil,

and seven times refined.

You, O Lord, will keep them,

you will guard them

from this generation on

and forever.

The wicked shall roam on every side

when the vilest of men

are exalted.