G
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 vigour, 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!!
