That's Life

[couchgrouch]

That's LifeThose young doctors shook their headssaid granpa was on his deathbedthere's no way he would last the nightme and mama walked in his roomhe said, "don't write me off so soon"and told a few tales as we sat by his sidehe spoke to mamaand each word was like a proverbI can still hearthe wisdom that he offered"daughter,tomorrow's lookin' darkbut life is justthe sum of its partslike waltzing with my ladyat harvest jamboreeskissing 'neath old treeswhen that cool autumn breezeshook the leaves like tambourinescos you don't make loveyou grow ittill two hearts rhyme in timelike the dreams of a poetthen longing for the skywhen I lost my sweet wifethat's life"round midnight mama dozed offgranpa kept talkin' low and softand a gentle spirit seemed to fill the airhe said the night that I was bornroads were washed out from a stormand mama was midwifed by a prayerhe quoted verses of the Bibleand turned that room into a revival"sonny,tomorrow's lookin' blackand living may be freebut time is the taxyou should conquer each morningjust like Jerichoboy, I'm eighty-fiveand the fact that I'vesurvived is a miraclecos I've drank my yearswithout chasersmaybe I'd feel strong and live onif I'd played it saferbut hunt tomorrow todaythen eat off the knifecos that's life, that's life"he was tough as a mulethose doctors looked like foolswhen granpa survivedafter mama's tear-filled hughe raised a moonshine jugwinked and said, "that's life"(c)2005 Robert George