He served his land
In the Spanish American war
He worked till he was 70
In a grocery store
Now he’s got synthetic tubes pumping every pore
He’s being kept alive but he really doesn’t know what for

He tried to turn in bed
But the sores were still red
So he screamed as they bled
Till the nurse on duty said,
“I’ll give him a shot to ease the pain in his head”

Heaven’s for those who believe
He thought looking at the leaves
But he said, “ What are these?”
As she stuck needles up his sleeves
You’ll feel much better
You’ll sleep well and you’ll breathe

His medical history takes up one whole file drawer
They say that’s what it’s for
But he used to use a drawer
To hold his fishing things
There’s tape on his nose
To hold his intravenous feeder in place
He once played second base
Across the grass he would race
Oh they say he had wings

He can remember her face in the store
He can remember the blue dress she wore
He can remember their walks by the shore
He can’t do nothing himself anymore

Don’t worry about what you say
He can’t hear you

Out of a summer day, it fell into fall
He fell into her arms
She was armed with sweet perfume
And a blue dress, blue sky
Sun dripping everything

He whispered her name ”Jackie, Jackie”
So soft like the skin on her neck
That he loved to touch and caress
With his fingers and with his Japanese ring

Don’t worry about what you say
He can’t hear you

(lyrics: Dan Bern)