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Topics Over Time

At 10 boys talk about the games in which they’ve played.

At 14 they discuss the girls and “progress” made.

At 16 there’s the homework everybody’s got,

At 18 work or college and their future lot.

At 25 it’s new jobs or careers presaged,

At 30 marriages or who is now engaged.

At 40 there’s the kids and all the things they do,

At 50 long career or job stuff most go through.

At 60 kids’ accomplishments regain the stage.

At 65 retirement talk is quite the rage.

At 70 it’s ailments that have gotten started.

At 80 and beyond it’s who has now departed.

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Generosity

The divergence between generous or just cheap
__May seem like a significant cost,
But consider the value of what you don’t keep
__When through stinginess goodwill is lost.

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Happiness on Display

They always seem to be content
__With no need to display
Their life highlights, or to lament
__Ambitions gone astray.

They show no symptoms of distress
__With family or position,
No visible hope to impress
__Or seek out recognition.

Are they good actors filled with passions
__For a happy show?
Or might they foster joy in fashions
__Some of us don’t know?

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Russel Winick recently started writing poetry after ending a long legal career. He resides in Naperville, Illinois.

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16 Responses

  1. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    Thank you for these perspicacious poetic observations, Russel. This wacky world needs a bit more wit and wisdom. Let’s hope 2025 is full of it!

    Reply
  2. Roy E. Peterson

    Your age timeline is fitting, especially at the age of 80. Reformed Scrooge would have to agree with the sentiments in your second poem. The world is full of what I call “the quiet people” who might have produced great things in life or had the potential for more should they advertise themselves but are satisfied with where they are in life. Three prescient poems well composed that make us reflect and think.

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      Thanks Roy – I always appreciate and look forward to your feedback.

      Reply
  3. Shamik Banerjee

    I absolutely love “Topics Over Time” and strongly believe that it should be in the high school curriculum. It’s like one of those subjects that we often ponder about but find too workaday to put on paper, but when someone else writes them and we read, the pleasure draw and the relatability meter exceed their limits! I think the people you’re talking about in Happiness on Display are those who are saturated with the fact that life is a mere drama and the world’s a stage; no use lamenting, showing off, or even exhibiting pride upon achievements and possessions. Great poems, Russel. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      I’m glad that you liked them Shamik, and much appreciate your kind words.

      Reply
  4. Joseph S. Salemi

    “Generosity” is perfectly epigrammatic – exactly the kind of concise and clear expression that you’d find in ancient collections of proverbial statements. “Happiness on Display,” although brief, is actually a profound comment on what sort of life is worth living.

    Reply
  5. Margaret Coats

    Russel, what a perceptive contemporary schema you’ve made with “Topics Over Time”! The numbers add syllables to each line, but your verse incorporates them nicely. This kind of poem is not easy to create because you can’t dash it off; you have to give readers a sense of satisfaction in its thoughtful completeness. That you’ve done.

    “Happiness on Display” transcends the worldly wisdom it expresses–with those two questions at the end. You present them as an “either-or” contrast, but in fact it is a “both-and.” Passionate actors can only put on a good show of happiness if they really have it; it is misery to “act out” something one doesn’t possess. Yes to their success! And then there are the mysterious “fashions” undisplayed to others that represent internal means of treasuring joy over a lifetime. These speak in a more general way to a broader audience who can achieve the same. It’s good to give recognition to both passions and fashions–neither of which (on first considering the words) would seem to contribute to happiness,

    Reply
  7. Brian A. Yapko

    I very much enjoyed these poems, Russel — especially Topics Over Time. It is extremely clever an very much reminded me of Jaques’ “All the world’s a stage…” speech in “As You Like It.” Your chronology is easier to follow and (alas) updated to a modern world. Well done!

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      Thank you Brian. It’s always uplifting to receive praise from someone of your talent.

      Reply
  8. Warren Bonham

    These are all great. Topics Over Time hit close to home for me, now that I’m on the back 9 of life. If I had read this in High School, I would have been convinced that I would find a way to plot my own course. For better or worse, this pretty much nailed how things have turned out (so far).

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      Thanks for weighing in Warren. I’m glad you enjoyed the poems, and found Topics Over Time relatable.

      Reply

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