Duncan Forbes

Happy Retirement

issue 23 May 2015

Retired persons are not necessarily
retiring or withdrawn
although we are entitled to feel tired
and/or rejuvenated
by our superannuated state.

In France they are en retraite
or they have retreated.
In Italy they are pensionati
if they are lucky
and in Germany Rentner.
In Spain they are jubilados
and in Portugal simply
reformados.

Happy euphemisms!
In the fullness of time
as a senior senior citizen
you will have to re-retire
stateless into a non-state where
not one word of language
exists in the breathless air.

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