Al-Chemists

Still they try to find it,

the secret of eternal youth,

searching out lotions and restorers

for the men with their toupees,

and the creams and fillers

for the women's made-up masks. 

When that fails 

the nip and tuckers, 

the stretchers and smoothers

are ready to apply their trades.

Like the alchemists of old searching

for the secret of turning base metal to gold

and the source of the fountain of youth,

the new commercial al-chemists

are searching for the potions,

that will transform

the heavy leaden flesh of age

back to the bloom of its youth.

They know we’re also searching,

searching,

searching,

endlessly searching

magic and science,

as we get older

and older still.

For the fountain of youth remains elusive,

but not all the alchemists are dead.

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