THIS OLD MAN

Every so often magazines, Sunday supplements etc. ask us if we know
'The Real You' and provide a questionnaire to help us find ourselves. I always found this rather ridiculous, of course I knew who I was. Then one day I opened
my eyes whilst shaving, looked in the mirror and thought;-

Who's this old man who pretends to be me?
Drinking my whiskey eating my bread
Coughing and dribbling and needing a pee. 

Where is the young man I used to be?
Who followed loves light wherever it led
Who’s this old man who pretends to be me?

He’s nearly stone deaf and can hardly see,
It takes him an hour to get out of bed
Coughing and dribbling and needing a pee.

My lively young mind, creative and free
Has somehow got trapped in this balding head,
Who’s this old man who pretends to be me?

Never goes out never watches TV
Staying at home he reads Plato instead,
Coughing and dribbling and needing a pee.

When did it happen? I thought I was free
from time’s malice, stalking with silent tread.
Coughing and dribbling and needing a pee,
Who’s this old man who pretends to be me?

THIS OLD MAN
(a sort of villanelle)
by
FRANK BRYCE