Elder Expectations: My Life in Rictameters
Marlys Marshall Styne
Lulu Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9781435717718
Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (11/08)

After forty years of teaching at a college, Marlys Marshall Styne turned to writing and what a pleasure it is to read her work. In her third published book Styne offers a glimpse at her life in “rictameters.” However, it’s not only her life she creates poetry about; it’s the life for many of us as we move through the years of maturity.

Styne starts off with:

“Elder Expectations”

Waiting.
Human need and
Common quirk that makes us
Dream, expect, look forward to that
Bit of news, that unexpected sign that
Still we live, we matter, someone
Cares, remembers, sends us
Cheer to live on,
Waiting.

Deep and profound, many of us that are elder can relate to this as we wait for our children and grandchildren to contact us, to tell us something exciting, or to just chat.

The rest of Styne’s book reflects on many experiences we have, like “First Day of Spring” and “Household Tasks.” I thoroughly enjoyed “Elder Expectations” not only because I’m an elder, but because Marlys Marshall Style was able to capture the reality of life. Her writing is sweet, her feelings are deep, and she reflects on paper the thoughts many of us have.

Reprinted from Reader Views and "Write Your Life!"