"Acceptance Speech" by David Yezzi

Acceptance Speech

Accept the things you cannot change:

the bleating clock,

the nightly go

—dog leash in tow—

around the block,

neural chemistry,

patchy hair,

a longing stare

and X-ray eye,

and the niggling fact

that things will stay

roughly this way,

to be exact.

Forgive the things you cannot have:

the supple bod,

taut undergrads,

a nicer pad,

long chats with God,

an older name,

your peers’ respect,

the oll korrect,

unbridled fame,

a sense of ease

in your own skin,

a lighter burden

by degrees.

The life you’d swap for on the train

(sight unseen)

is much like yours

though it appears

more green.

So, why this pain

that shorts the breath

and spoils your health?

You grow serene—

not yet, but after

your will resigns

a few more times

with heavy laughter.