OLD DOGS

old dogs started the day with an eye opener
a shot of whiskey and a tall can of beer
at four-in-the morning
it made the bones feel better
for the day's work to come...
and a greasy breakfast
in a greasy spoon
eggs, sausage, and lotsa coffee
then to the job
welding, wrenching, craning, laboring,
grunting, sledging, moving dirt and steel
old dogs did it all.

but wait...
we were young back then
and the joy was that
we thought we never were gonna' die
we were immortal
the money was never gonna' stop
the booze was gonna' flow forever
the cancer would never get us
so we lit another camel
and drank more shots-and-beers
and closed the joints

old dogs didn't worry about AIDS
or alcoholism
or taxes
or stocks
or dying
or occupying
just the sports book
and even then
we were happy

it ain't like that today
sadly
i must admit
the halycon days
are over