ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

A YOUNGER MAN’S CLOTHES


These tired old eyes, they don’t see very clear
And I don’t understand much of what I can hear
The wisdom of years
Born of blood sweat and tears
Appears to be failing me now

I don’t sleep at all, I eat even less
When I walk I must look for a place I can rest
I fight back the tears
And remember the years
When I wore a younger mans clothes

The things I need most are the things I can’t find
I just can’t recall what was just on my mind
The wisdom of years
Born of blood sweat and tears
Appears to be failing me now

I can’t hold a glass in these pitiful hands
They shiver and shake to a saint vitus dance
I fight back the tears
And remember the years
When I wore a younger mans clothes

There was a time, I’ll have you know
They lined up to see the star of the show
The ladies would call
And I loved them all
When I wore a younger mans clothes

All that I was, and all I have been
Is now brittle bones wrapped in paper thin skin
And I fight back the tears
As I remember the years
When I wore a younger mans clothes



Copyright (c) Allan Cropper February 2015

Very haunting, Allan. When I get to know old people, I always ask to see a picture of them when they were young. I find it helps to sharpen my perspective and to see them as a whole person.

Cheers
Shelley

Still got my bell bottom jeans from my teens Allan and they still fit (JUST )


Easy to stay young mate just do young things.


Bob

Another poignant one Allan - very good. I agree with Shelley, as it makes me cringe to hear people patronising the elderly, and a photo of when they were younger definitely always puts things in perspective.

...I must be staying young Bob, I still dribble food over my shirt sometimes...

Yes Allan, that is the way it goes. My companion's Mum is 104 now, a bright old lady who sometimes wonders why she is still here. She had to raise 4 girls as the man of the house did not return from Singapore. Looking through heaps of old family photos I was shown one and was told this is Mum at 21. Wow! I heaved a long sigh and thought yes, we were all young and beautiful at 21.

Ian

Happens to all of us Allan, but at least we've made it this far. Billy Joel said it well in Piano Man.

He says, "Son can you play me a memory
I'm not really sure how it goes
But it's sad and it's sweet
And I knew it complete
When I wore a younger man's clothes"

Wazza

Great construct - Well done Allan ...