"I HAD A HECTIC TIME LAST NIGHT"

I TOLD MY WIFE IN BED;

 "WHAT ON EARTH WAS AILING YOUTHAT BROUGHT

ABOUT YOUR DREAD"?

SHE WISHED TO KNOW ABOUT MY

WOE,AND THIS IS WHAT I

SAID:

 "I HAD A HECTIC TIME LAST NIGHT"

I TOLD MY WIFE IN BED;

 "WHAT ON EARTH WAS AILING YOUTHAT BROUGHT

ABOUT YOUR DREAD"?

SHE WISHED TO KNOW ABOUT MY

WOE,AND THIS IS WHAT I

SAID:

"I'LL TELL YOU DEAR WHAT IS MY FEAR,

MY BODY'S RACKED WITH PAIN,

MY ARM TO THUMB IS DEADLY NUMB..

FOR ON THEM I HAVE LAIN,

AND CANNOT SEEM TO LOCATE THEM...

TEN MINUTES NOW IN VAIN!

"I'LL TELL YOU DEAR WHAT IS MY FEAR,

MY BODY'S RACKED WITH PAIN,

MY ARM TO THUMB IS DEADLY NUMB..

FOR ON THEM I HAVE LAIN,

AND CANNOT SEEM TO LOCATE THEM...

TEN MINUTES NOW IN VAIN!

AND MY FEET ARE SORELY ACHINGFROM STUMPING

TOES LAST NIGHT...ON CHAIR LEGS IN THE DARKNESS...

THAT WERE HIDDEN OUT OF SIGHT;

AND THE REST OF THE NIGHT WAS HOPELESS,

FROM ALL THAT PAIN TO FIGHT.

AND MY FEET ARE SORELY ACHINGFROM STUMPING

TOES LAST NIGHT...ON CHAIR LEGS IN THE DARKNESS...

THAT WERE HIDDEN OUT OF SIGHT;

AND THE REST OF THE NIGHT WAS HOPELESS,

FROM ALL THAT PAIN TO FIGHT.

AND OF COURSE WHEN THAT OCCURRED,

I WOKE YOU UP MY SPOUSE,

WITH SUDDEN SCREAMS AND

SHOUTINGTHAT SHOOK THE ENTIRE HOUSE;

a pain with power and burning

A "FLAME" I COULD NOT DOUSE.

AND OF COURSE WHEN THAT OCCURRED,

I WOKE YOU UP MY SPOUSE,

WITH SUDDEN SCREAMS AND

SHOUTINGTHAT SHOOK THE ENTIRE HOUSE;

a pain with power and burning

A "FLAME" I COULD NOT DOUSE.

NOW MY OLD STIFF NECK IS HURTING...

OF PILLOWS STACKED TOO HIGH,

JUST LIKE THE TIMES I WORE... A SUNDAY

SUIT AN’ TIE, AND THESE CRINKS THAT DON'T LEAVE

EASY,MAKE A GROWN MAN

WANT TO CRY!

NOW MY OLD STIFF NECK IS HURTING...

OF PILLOWS STACKED TOO HIGH,

JUST LIKE THE TIMES I WORE... A SUNDAY

SUIT AN’ TIE, AND THESE CRINKS THAT DON'T LEAVE

EASY,MAKE A GROWN MAN

WANT TO CRY!

AND WATCHING LATE-NIGHT MOVIES..

MADE MY EYES SO SORE AND RED,

ADDING SORROW TO THE TORMENT OF

MY TIRED AND ACHING HEAD;

AND THIS MORNING LOOKS NO BRIGHTER AS I DREAD IT HERE IN

BED.

AND WATCHING LATE-NIGHT MOVIES..

MADE MY EYES SO SORE AND RED,

ADDING SORROW TO THE TORMENT OF

MY TIRED AND ACHING HEAD;

AND THIS MORNING LOOKS NO BRIGHTER AS I DREAD IT HERE IN

BED.

NOW MY KNEES ARE SWOLLEN KNOBBY...LIKE THAT ON OAKS

OR PINE,BROUGHT ON BY

ARTHRITIS AND TOLLED BY

LENGTH OF TIME, AND ALL THEIR USE IS

ADDING TO THE MISERIES I

FIND!

NOW MY KNEES ARE SWOLLEN KNOBBY...LIKE THAT ON OAKS

OR PINE,BROUGHT ON BY

ARTHRITIS AND TOLLED BY

LENGTH OF TIME, AND ALL THEIR USE IS

ADDING TO THE MISERIES I

FIND!

MY LEGS ARE ALSO SCRAWNEY  

JUST LIKE THAT OLD OAK TREE,

CROOKED AND BOWED AND PIGEON

TOED...LIKE ANY OLD LEGS

CAN BE;BUT I'LL COPE WITH

ENTIRE HOPEWITH ALL THIS

MISERY.

MY LEGS ARE ALSO SCRAWNEY  

JUST LIKE THAT OLD OAK TREE,

CROOKED AND BOWED AND PIGEON

TOED...LIKE ANY OLD LEGS

CAN BE;BUT I'LL COPE WITH

ENTIRE HOPEWITH ALL THIS

MISERY.

TOO, MY BACK IS BENT WITH

AGING..WITH YEARS OF TAKING TOLL,

AND I DARE NOT DO ANY LIFTING,

NOT EVEN A FISHING POLE!

TOO, MY BACK IS BENT WITH

AGING..WITH YEARS OF TAKING TOLL,

AND I DARE NOT DO ANY LIFTING,

NOT EVEN A FISHING POLE!

AND UP AND DOWN MOST OF THE NIGHT,

"I THINK I'VE CAUGHT A COLD!

AND ALL THE PILLS AND CAPSULES

I TAKE FOR EVERYTHING,

SHOULD KEEP THIS BODY GOING

WITH SOME RELIEF TO BRING,

BUT I SUSPECT AS OFTEN,

THERE'LL COME ANOTHER STING.

AND UP AND DOWN MOST OF THE NIGHT,

"I THINK I'VE CAUGHT A COLD!

AND ALL THE PILLS AND CAPSULES

I TAKE FOR EVERYTHING,

SHOULD KEEP THIS BODY GOING

WITH SOME RELIEF TO BRING,

BUT I SUSPECT AS OFTEN,

THERE'LL COME ANOTHER STING.

BUT YOU ASKED WHAT'S WRONG, MY

DEAR,AND THIS I NOW

RELATE:ALL THE THINGS I'VE

TOLD TO YOU ARE JUST SOME FACTS OF FATE;

BUT OUTSIDE ALL I'VE SPOKEN HERE,I FEEL ABSOLUTELY

GREAT!!! "

BUT YOU ASKED WHAT'S WRONG, MY

DEAR,AND THIS I NOW

RELATE:ALL THE THINGS I'VE

TOLD TO YOU ARE JUST SOME FACTS OF FATE;

BUT OUTSIDE ALL I'VE SPOKEN HERE,I FEEL ABSOLUTELY

GREAT!!! "