Song of the Stoic

I am a man I've been working all my days This is my accounting Of my means and of my ways More years are behind me now Than years that are ahead Looking back I feel This is my story to be said. I faced my father down Inside the hallway of our home 18 years of pain Upon my body to the bone Demons lived inside of him They forced him to the act The layers of the bruises To my body was the fact. Ooooh I grew and went into the world I learned to know it's code Of spoken and unspoken And I learned to love the road I shoulder every burden like A mule with a heavy pack Every coin I earn is another Knot within my back. Ooooh Ecstasy and pleasure come At much too great a cost I keep myself upon the earth But measure what I've lost Winged things they brush against me Never mine to hold I keep my eyes upon the ground And carry on as old. I met a woman She had the gifted touch Her hands were wise with healing And with wonder and all such As the fates would have it Each to others we are wed We confine ourselves to friendship And we stay out of the bed. Oooh Now I turn around to face The specter of my age My soul it fights my body Like a bird will fight its cage. I see that last horizon I hope it brings me peace I look forward to the day At last my body knows release. Ooooh Ooooh