The Birthday Dinner

Watching them at the table -

bright, unfazed, still new
to this unwinding road

straining to hear
let alone understand, their
generational yatter.

I felt miles from my thirties -
like looking through
the wrong end of binoculars.

The wine was, a little too
honeyed now for my grey
nostalgia, &

I settled my fork next to the
plate, at least it knows its
proper place.