Retirement?

In the waning years of my life, to what would I aspire?

Would I retain my enthusiasm for work or would I wish to retire?

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Most of my life has been spent on the hamster wheel

I’m in a monogamous relationship with work, I feel

It’s not just about making a living, but work gives me

The most definitive form of identity

So though I think I would like to work less

Retiring completely seems a daunting proposition, I confess..

*

When I think of retirement I visualize

Myself being productive in myriad ways, but then I realize

My interests I have not cultivated enough

Without work, having an interesting life would be tough..

I hate to admit, but the only interesting thing about me

Is the career that shapes my identity

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Then I wonder, my sharpness would I retain

In my older years, or would cognitive decline gain

A foothold on me such that the demands of my profession

I would be unable to fulfill despite my best intention..

In other words, would I be forced to retire

Unceremoniously, or worse, would I be fired?

*

The idea of being financially free

Such that you are able to retire early

And then work on terms that are your own-

This concept lately has popular grown

But it is a hard one for me to wrap my head around

Therefore unless I have an epiphany profound

I shall continue to work at a steady pace

Until retirement is a certainty I have to face