Visiting my beloved father this weekend in NY I note the acceleration of his progressive degenerative disease and the impact it is having on his ability to think, remember and function, express himself and recognize people and things. I know so many of my family and friends have gone through or are going through similar hard times and join in the collective sorrow that senescence imposes on our fragile human condition. To cope with my feelings I've written a song that I hope to record soon, expressing the tragedy of slowly losing a loved one to the unfairness of biology and pray that we can find cures to the ills of old age and along the way find the fortitude to always honor our elders and continue to see their greatness during the sunset of their years :
"My dad -- he's dyin' (Dm, G6)
He's goin' away... (Cmaj7, Em)
My daddy's dyin' (Dm, G6)
What more to say... (Cmaj7, Em)
(F) For all my life I've feared these words
I worried and I feared the worst
(Bbmaj7) And now my childhood nightmare's coming true...
(F) Don't tell me I should take this well
(Dm6) And let my feeling's go to hell
(Bb6) 'cause now I'm older and a father too
(Am) 'Cause age don't take the love away
I want my loved ones all to stay
(Em, F) The arrow doesn't only go one way
(Bbmaj7) And just because we all face death
It doesn't make it hurt no less
(Bb7) The pain is still within my breast
And Daddy how I wish that you would (G7) stay...
My Dad -- he's dyin' (Dm, G6)
Does it have to be this way? (Cmaj7, Em)
Excuse me cryin' (Dm, G6)
The sorrow doesn't go away... (Cmaj7, Em)
(F) I always will look up to you
You're still the man I always knew
(Bbmaj7) And no disease can take your soul away
(F) And when they say your mind has gone
(Dm6) Your body just a broken one
(Bb6) I see your spirit shining just the same
(Am)'Cause old age ain't the final word
(Am) To look at life that way's absurd
(Em, F) And shutting down your heart's the coward's way
(Bbmaj7)And just because we all face death
(Bbmaj7)To be there 'til the final breath
(Bb7) Is better than to turn away
The elderly deserve more than our (G7) prayers...
Your body's dyin' (Dm, G6)
and so's your brain...(Cmaj7, Em)
But we'll keep trying (Dm, G6)
Because we love you every way (Cmaj7, Em)
Yeah, Daddy's dyin' (Dm, G6)
But my love ain't goin' away (Cmaj7, Em)
My daddy's dyin (Dm, G6)
But his spirit's here to stay (Cmaj7, Em)
Yeah Daddy's dyin' (Dm, G6)
But our love won't go away (Cmaj7, Em)
My daddy's dyin' (Dm, G6)
But his spirit's here to stay..." Cmaj7, Em)
