the old lady, by ursula k le guin

[boxofdelights]

This is an excellent poem about the lessening of fear that can come with becoming an old lady. I mean, you're still you, of course; you don't stop being anxious, if you are an anxious person, or being prudent if you are a prudent person; but the amount of being prudent, being patient, being cautious you are willing to give right now in return for pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by is much less.