Richard's aunty Vee, intoned sagaciously,
"The older that you get, the more like yourself
You become". The seeds of ageing graciously
Are scattered on the rocks of hapless youth.
If only I had nurtured, there, the germ
Of devoir faire invested in that truth,
Perhaps I would have made some wiser choices:
A more discerning pardine pelt; a sober
Take on existential siren voices
That versed the whelpling pup in venial tricks.
Now dotage has arrived as Vee averred,
With ground-in spots and bent for chasing sticks.
N'importe quoi. Though Que sera s'est arrivé,
The old dog knows the leopard had its day.