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 a 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 ,l look closer see ME!!

Whitesnakes do it better ..................... so the story goes.