Birthdays

Happy Birthday to Me




Happy birthday to me I’m older, you see

and there are still some things I don’t know.

Like why does it take a birthday to make

you wonder how little you know.



I’ve played ‘Kick the Can’ and ‘Hide and Go Seek’

‘Run Sheep Run’ and the lot. Hearts and Flowers’

by the hours play ‘em and what have you got ?



Happy birthday to me I’m older you see

but there are still some things I don’t know.

Like why when you give all you’ve got you can give

do people get frightened... and go.



Off and running as though in a race

afraid to laugh or cry gone to wherever

seldom if ever stopping to tell you goodbye.



Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me.

I’ve read all the books that I own

but none of them say why it takes a birthday

to show you how little you’ve grown.



Words and music by Rod McKuen ©1968 by Stanyan Music
 
 
LOVE this poem. Especially the last stanza. Me in a nutshell. :-)
Had a birthday yesterday. Getting old. No one told me I don't look my age. :-( I cried on my sister's
shoulder about that last night. Ha! I'm better now. We concluded the only way to take care of that problem would be for me to colour my salt and pepper hair. Well, THAT'S never going to happen because
A. I'm too lazy and coloured hair takes work
B. I like the colour it is now. and
C. I'm too lazy and coloured hair takes work.
I also mentioned my pain to my sons who briefly said all the right words and then immediately the conversation degenerated into a running joke about old women and nursing homes and feebleness. Can't take yourself too seriously at my house for long. It's just not allowed!
But it was a nice quiet birthday, the big celebration is slated for this weekend. (prezzies, cake). There's something wrong about having a birthday during the work week so we have postponed it. And I'm not getting older...I'm getting one year closer to retirement! And that CAN'T be a bad thing!