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 boy 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