The Old Man's Muse

I sit in the room in my easy chair

And ponder my life in the gloom,

The source of my wonder is where did it go,

While racing me on to the tomb,

I thought that forever was all that I had

Before me, when barely a teen,

But now in my dotage I look back upon

The little that lay in-between.

It used to be easy when I was young

And supple and fit, without care,

I didn’t believe it would come so undone

But that was when I was still there.

The aching of muscles and creaking of bones

Were something that old people had,

And I was determined to die, before moans

Would rack me, and make me feel bad.

But life is deceptive, it sneaks up on one,

By not even making a sound,

It pads up behind you before you can look

And then it starts beating you down.

We cling to our dreams and impossible schemes

And hope that our time will come in,

Just as the ship of our fortunes will stream

In to shore, with the laurels we’ll win.

I never got married, or tied myself down

For why should I borrow a book?

With so many women abroad in the town

And each could be had, with a look.

So that was my folly, and that was my creed,

I bedded each one as they came,

I knew no regret as I scattered my seed,

Nor even the feeling of shame.

I heard people mention that love was the thing

But I didn’t know what they meant,

Was love a new sports car, or masses of bling,

I carried that stuff on my belt.

My friendships were shallow, and selfish I know,

I look back, and measure the past,

If my life were a steamer, they’d take it in tow

And fly all my flags at half mast.

There once was a woman, I’ll call her Karrel,

Who worked her way into my heart,

I almost felt things that I never could spell

And soon we had drifted apart.

But her presence had lingered so long in my mind

That I spent my days, just feeling sad,

She said I was empty, and heartless, unkind,

Till I thought I was going quite mad.

So now I sit here, quite alone in my chair

And I ponder on where it went wrong,

The tears on my cheeks tell me life was unfair

That it got the wrong words to my song.

But deep in the dark of my shrivelled old heart

Where Karrel still resides, fancy free,

I look in my shame for somebody to blame

And the answer comes back, it was me!

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Jane Winters Rogers]

One of your best poems....you can surely stir one's emontions....I thought
The poem was very sad.....I also was very raw and real...we never can know what are trials will be in this life....w only
Can hope along our journey we have times of great joy and deep love.....

[Jesse-Lee Powell]

My new favorite... I'm bout to start the David Lewis Paget fan club if someone hasn't beat me to it already. Thanks again for your beautiful words.

[Tony Jordan]

Roger Daltrey sang - "I hope I die before I get old" and every generation before and after has probably uttered the same sentiments (I know I have) but

Love that image of Life 'padding' behind us ('pad' - a great word choice David)

This version of Sinatra's classic would go something like 'I did it my way (or would have if Life had left me to it)'