An' ol' glass

a glass

it's getting old

breaking up

going to pieces

after

all that pleasure it gave

an' ol' glass

after all those memories

it faded away

and it breaks

it can't be replaced

an'

all those memories...

erased

breaking up

going to pieces

and

it breaks

an' breaks away

underneath

my caring fingers

it's memories

crushed to flinters

erasing all the names

drinking away

holding it, using it

drinking its pleasure

thinking it was great

a short

long life it's had

filled up to the rim

never

said no to a drink

never came second best

and never had any rest

and the ol' glass

it gave an' gave

it gave all its life

in an' unheard sigh

without any sign of fright

catching that last light

an' ol' glas

on the shelf

crushed to pieces

without shouting help

vanishing into the past

it just didn't last

(c) JR. 2023 remake 1985

Ol' glass

Glass is gettin' old breakin' up
goin' to pieces after so much
it gave an old glass so many
memories it had

and it breaks can't be replaced
all its memories erased breakin'
up goin' to pieces

it breaks away underneath my
fingers its memories crushed
to flinters

can't be replaced erasin' al the
names that held her used her
'till its pleasure came

it was great a short long life
it had filled up to the rim it
was at its best

never said no to a drink never
came second best never had any
rest

and the old glass it gave without
any resistance it gave all its life
in an unheard sigh

without any fright catchin' that
last light an old glass on the shelf
crushed to pieces

without shoutin' 'help' it vanished
into the past without a clash it didn't
last

(c) JR 2018

Growing old

looking up to the sky, where an odd star
casts its light my thoughts go back to
yesterday to what we lost to what we gained

memories of laughter, memories of the days
after whenever the time we'd celebrate with wine
the sound of little feet

the sound of crying in sleep, the happyness of
a bride in white children on my knee climbing
a tree

it all seems so long ago, slowly growing old
I smell the flowers of time that grow along the
line of life

the scent is growing stronger must I leave now
somebody's calling yonder walking towards me
he takes my arm

leads me up to the steps someone wept
I didn't look back

(c) JR. 1985