PAD Day 27: Powers of Two

Today's prompts from Poetic Asides and NaPoWriMo:

(1) Write a "looking back" poem, and

(2) Write a "hay(na)ku" (more on that below).

Since it's my birthday today :) , it's easy to "look back". In keeping with my tradition from most recent years, I wrote a birthday poem:

2⁶ 

I don’t remember much about 2¹ or 2²,

but by 2³ I was a precocious second-grader

with three little sisters.  At 2⁴,

I was a geeky sophomore in high school

who was into Dylan Thomas

and thought Jefferson Airplane was groovy.

By 2⁵ I was married, well into my career,

and already raising 2¹ boys.

Now I’m 2⁶, the last time I will be

a power-of-two years old.

Unlike the Beatles’ prediction,

I don’t rent a summer cottage

in the Isle of Wight. I have 2⁰ grandchild,
but her name isn’t Vera, Chuck or Dave.

I’m proud of my 2² grown-up sons,

and I still have all 2⁵ of my teeth.

I could make it to 3⁴, but for now,

I’m just counting on the power of two,

and you’re the best part of that power.

Now for poem #2. The "hay(na)ku" was a form invented by poet Eileen Tabios, and named and popularized by my poet buddy Vince Gotera.  The form is simple: one word in the first line, two in the second, three in the third. You can string them together in inventive ways too. This one is in a form that Vince calls the "hay(na)ku sonnet". Pardon the reference to the same Beatles song:

What to Do on This Birthday 

work

like it’s

any other day 

but

take it

a little easier 

accept

good wishes

gracefully, and smile 

have

a small

celebration at home 

listen to Beatles’

“When I’m Sixty-four”