WHEN WE ARE YOUNG
WE GNAW THE APPLE GREEDILY
WIPE THE JUICES FROM OUR CHIN
AND THROW THE CORE AWAY.
IN MIDDLE AGE
WE SLICE THE APPLE
INTO DECOROUS FOURTHS
TO BE CHEWED DELIBERATELY.
AND IN OUR FINAL YEARS
THE APPLE MUST BE STEWED,
SUGARED AND SPICED
TO SWEETEN ITS SOUR TASTE.