Three Poems By Russel G. Winick

Inter-Generational Phenomenon
  
In every generation
A phenomenon inherent
Is the fear possessed by youngsters
Of embarrassment by parents. 

Choice Voiced
  
His job was to counsel the streetwise young men,
And to urge they consider adoption,
Of life far removed from the criminal den,
In the hope they’d find much safer options.
  
His overtures never did meet with success,
And the reasons provided were clear.
They all saw themselves living to thirty or less,
And they wanted nice things those few years.
  
With that future perspective their grim paradigm,
Could his counsel their life plans assuage?
Via bidding them off hugely lucrative crimes,
For dull jobs at the minimum wage? 

Stages
  
We have three stages in our lives,
It’s very scientific.
First youth, then middle age, and last
There’s “Gee, you look terrific!” 

Mr. Winick fell in love with the poetry of Langston Hughes at age 14, but only recently began writing poetry at nearly age 65, after concluding a long career as an attorney.  Several dozen of his poems have appeared or are forthcoming in over a dozen literary journals.