What do you see nurses, what do you see?
What are you thinking when you're looking at me?
A crabbit old woman, not very wise
Uncertain of habit with far away eyes
Who dribbles her food and makes no reply
When you say in a loud voice, "I do wish you'd try"
Who seems not to notice the things that you do
And forever is losing a stocking or a shoe
Who unresisting or not lets you do as you will
With bathing and feeding, the day long to fill
Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes nurse, you're not looking at me
I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still
As I use at your bidding, as I eat at your will
I'm a small child of ten, with father and mother
Brothers and sisters who love one another
A young girl of sixteen with wings on her feet
Dreaming that soon now a lover she'll meet
A bride soon at twenty, my heart gives a leap
Remembering the vows that I promised to keep
At twenty five now, I have young of my own
Who need to me to build a secure, happy home
A young woman of thirty, my young now grow fast
Bound to each other with ties that should last
At forty my young ones now grown will soon be gone
But my man stays beside me to see I don't mourn
At fifty once more babies play round my knee
Again we know children, my loved one and me
Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead
I look to the future and shudder with dread
For my young are all busy rearing young of their own
And I think of the years and the love I have known
I'm an old woman now and nature is cruel
'Tis her joke to make old age look like a fool
The body it crumbles, grace and vigour depart
There now is a stone where I once had a heart
But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells
And now and again my battered heart swells
I remember the joys, I remember the pain
And I'm living and loving life over again
I think of the years, all too few - gone too fast
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last
So open your eyes nurses, open and see
Not a crabbit old woman, look closer - see me.