What do you see?
What do you see, what do You see?
Are you thinking when you are Looking at me -
A crabbit old woman, not very Wise,
Uncertain of Habit, with far-away Eyes.
Who dribbles her 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 stocking Or shoe.
Who quite unresisting, lets you Do as you will.
With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill.
Is that what you are thinking -- Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, you're Not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am as I sit Here so still:
As I move at your bidding, as I eat At your will,
I'm a small child of ten with a Father and mother,
Brothers and sisters, who love one Another.
A young girl of sixteen with wings on her feet.
Dreaming that soon now a lover She'll meet;
A bride 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 build a secure, Happy Home;
A woman of thirty, my young now grow fast,
Bound to each other with ties that Should last;
At forty, my young ones have grown and are gone,
But my man's 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 Husband is dead,
I look at the future, I shudder with dread.
For my young ones are busy with young of their own.
And I think of the years and the Love that I've known.
I'm an old woman now and nature Is cruel -
Tis her jest to make old age look Like a fool.
The body it crumbles, grace and Vigour depart
There is now a stone where once Had a heart:
But inside this old carcass a young Girl 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, open and see
Not a crabbit old woman, look Closer – see ME!
