Cranky Old Man
What do you see nurses? . . .. . .
What do you see?
What are you thinking .. .
when you're looking at me?
A cranky old man,
. . . . . .not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food .. . ... . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . .'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . ... lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking?.
Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse .
you're not looking at me. I'll tell you who I am . . . . ..
As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding,
.. . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . .. . .
a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, .. ...Babies play 'round my knee,
Again,
we know children . . . .
My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . .
My wife is now dead.
I look at the future ... . . . .
I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . .
And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
It's jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body,
it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass .
A young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . . . .. .
I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . . .
life over again.
I think of the years
all too few . . .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
Not a cranky old man . Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. .... . ME!
ps : At my twenty. What will happen at my fifty?
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