I'm Almost Eighty-two

Someone is overwhelmed by everyday problems.

                                 I’M ALMOST EIGHTY-TWO

 

                                    I’M ALMOST EIGHTY-TWO                  

                                    AND I FEEL PRETTY OLD

                                    THERE IS A LOT TO DO

                                    TO DO THEM IS MY GOAL

 

                                    I KNOW IT WILL BE HARD

                                    FOR I AM GETTING WEAK

                                    I KNOW I HAVE TO START

                                    THOUGH I’VE A YELLOW STREAK

 

                                    I AM AFRAID TO FAIL       

                                    IN THIS GIGANTIC TASK

                                    I’M OLD AND AM QUITE FRAIL

                                    IT’S JUST TOO MUCH TO ASK

 

                                    A FAILURE IN CARE GIVING

                                    AS WELL AS IN COMPOSING

                                    I HOPE YOU’LL BE FORGIVING

                                    THAT ON THE JOB I’M DOZING

 

                                    EFFORT IS NEVER LACKING

                                    TIME IS WHAT IS SO FLEETING

                                    MY BRAIN I’M ALWAYS WRACKING

                                    MORE TIME IS WHAT I’M NEEDING

 

                                    RESULTS ARE ALWAYS LATE

                                    ‘CAUSE TIME KEEPS SPEEDING BY

                                    AND COMING IS THE DATE

                                    WHEN I WILL SAY GOOD-BY

 

                                  MY SINGING JOB’S A BUST

                                  COMPOSING HAS NO END

                                    BUT DOING THE BEST I MUST

                                    UNTIL MY LIFE WILL END

 

                                    NOT MY SONGS, NOR MY SINGING

                                    WILL BRING ME ANY WEALTH

                                    ALL THEY WILL END UP BRINGING

                                    IS NOTHING BUT ILL HEALTH

 

                                    BUT I WILL KEEP ON WRITING

                                    PERHAPS I WON’T SUCCEED

                                    BUT IT IS SO EXCITING

                                    A GREAT HOBBY INDEED

 

                                    IF FAILURE IN THIS ATTEMPT

                                    COMES AS PER ALL THE ODDS

                                    I’M SURE I’LL FEEL CONTEMPT

                                    THAT WILL IS SURELY GOD’S

 

                                    CREATOR, AFTER ALL

                                    AND I’LL ACCEPT HIS WILL

                                    IN THIS PERHAPS I’LL FALL

                                    BUT I HAVE ONE CARD STILL

 

                                    I HAVE MY SINGING VOICE

                                    AND CHURCH IS WHERE I’LL SING

                                    HE’S GIVEN ME THAT CHOICE

                                    MY VOICE TO HIM I’LL BRING

 

                                    I’M EIGHTY-ONE YEARS OLD

                                    AND SOON I WILL BE GONE

                                    MY VOICE IS GOOD, I’M TOLD

                                    THAT IS WRITTEN IN STONE

 

                                  IF ALL IS TO NO AVAIL

                                    OF TRYING I WILL BE TIRED                                                                    

                                    IF IN THIS I WILL FAIL

                                  MY VOICE WILL BE RETIRED

                            

                                 

 

                                  YA TUVE QUE DEJAR

                                  DE CANTAR EN LA IGLESIA

                                  YO SÉ QUE MI CANTAR

                                  LA GENTE ME LO APRECIA

 

                                  ES QUE MI GUITARRISTA

                                  SE QUISO JUBILAR

                                  Y NO TENGO OTRO ARTISTA

                                  QUE ME QUIERA ACOMPA�'AR

 

                                  TOCO GUITARRA UN POCO

                                  QUIZÁS MUY DISCORDANTE

                                  PARECERÍA UN LOCO

                                  SI SIGUIERA ADELANTE

 

                                  MEJOR QUISE PARAR

                                  POR ESA Y MÁS RAZONES

                                  YA NO QUIERO CANTAR

                                  EN ESAS CONDICIONES

 

                                  DIOS ME VA A AGRADECER

                                  QUE DEJE DE CANTAR

                                  PUES DEBE DE SABER

                                  QUE DEBO DESCANSAR

 

 

 

                                    IF EVERY HARD ENDEAVOR

                                    WILL CAUSE YOU GREAT DISPLEASURE

                                    TAKE ME, DO ME THE FAVOR

                                    I’LL GO WITH YOU WITH PLEASURE

 

                                    IT’S TIME TO GO ANYWAY

                                    I HAVE BEEN HERE TOO LONG  

                                    I SHOULD BE ON MY WAY

                                    YOU’LL SOON TAKE ME ALONG

 

                                    WHILE I HAVE ALL MY WITS

                                    I HOPE I’LL GET YOUR CALL

                                    BEFORE, IN LITTLE BITS,

                                    ALL ONE BY ONE WILL FALL

 

                                    THAT WAY I WILL BE CERTAIN

                                    NOT RIDDEN IN BED I’LL BE

                                    IN THEIR EYES A GREAT BURDEN

                                    IN ME THEY WILL NOT SEE

 

                                    BUT I WILL ALONG TREAD

                                    AS LONG AS I’M ALIVE

                                    WISHING FOR, INSTEAD,

                                    A CURE FOR MY SICK WIFE

 

                                    I MERELY WANT A BREAK

                                    FROM ALL I HAVE GONE THROUGH

                                    WOULD IT NOT BE JUST GREAT

                                    TO GET WHAT ONE IS DUE?

 

                                  Los años ya me pesan, apachurrado estoy

                                  Pesares no me dejan, creo que pronto me voy

                                  Yo ya no los aguanto, me quiero ya morir

                                  Me pesan tanto, tanto que no quiero vivir

 

                                   Como ando adolorido, les contaré aquí

                                   Un dicho conocido, creo que habla de mí

                                   --Me duele la cabeza, me duele el corazón

                                   Me duele todo el cuerpo y el…pie de pilón-

 

                                    A veces ya no puedo parado mucho estar

                                    En pie siempre me quedo, no me puedo sentar

                                    El trabajo que tengo requiere el caminar

                                    De allá para acá vengo, no puedo descansar

 

 

 

                                    Parado o caminando, mis males se hacen peor

                                    Mis pies me duelen tanto que no aguanto el dolor

                                    Es cuando yo quisiera con mi vida acabar

                                    Pero quiera o no quiera, me tengo que aguantar

 

                                    Si solo yo estuviera, problemas no habrían

                                    Mis males no tuviera y opciones yo tendría

                                    Mas como estoy cuidando a mi enferma mujer

                                    De pie siempre yo ando haciendo mi quehacer

 

                                    La llevo al escusado, de ahi yo la levanto

                                    La limpio con cuidado, hago yo tanto tanto

                                    Cocino su comida, se la doy en la boca

                                    Siempre esta resentida, su alegria es muy poca

 

                                    La acuesto, la levanto, su baño yo le doy

                                    Mi trabajo es tanto que siempre de pie estoy

                                    No es que no descanse, no siempre herido estoy

                                    Cuando mi tiempo alcanse, escribano yo soy

 

                                    Yo no sé hasta cuando mi Dios me va a llevar

                                    Pero sigo deseando que quiera esperar

                                    Si me lleva primero, ya quién la cuidará

                                    Cuidarla con esmero a nadie encontarará

 

                                    Sé que reniego y lloro pues nada puedo hacer

                                    Y a cada rato imploro me quite Él mi padecer

                                    Pero Él es el que manda y tengo que cumplir

                                    Con lo que Él demanda hasta el día de morir

 

                                    Para que con más fe pueda cargar mi cruz

                                    Que Dios salud me dé al igual que su luz

                                    Así bien me guiaré en esta vida cruel

                                    Ya no renegaré y me acercaré a Él

 

 

                                   Quizás este dolor se pueda terminar

                                   Si consigo valor y me dejo cortar

                                   Mi rodilla y mi pie tendrán que remplazar

                                   Que Dios su mano guie a quien me va a operar

 

Tendré que recordar no hacerme la ilusión

                                   De que voy a aguantar tan grave operación

                                   Y si llego a morir y aún vive mi amor

                                   Mucho va élla a sufrir, morirá de dolor