65 YEARS OF HAPPINESS

TO MY PHYLLIS:
FOR 65 YEARS OF HAPPINESS

WE KNEW THE THRILL OF LOVE’S BEGINNING
WE PLAYED A GAME WE BOTH WERE WINNING

THE GAME THAT WE PLAYED. WENT THIS WAY
AND I’LL EXPLAIN IT IF I MAY

IF I PERSISTED, AS I SURELY WOULD
YOU RESISTED, AS YOU PROBABLY SHOULD

AND IF I AFFIRMATIVELY INSISTED
YOU DETERMINEDLY RESISTED

YOU WERE TEASING, IT WAS PLAIN TO SEE
BUT THE PROCESS WAS PLEASING, FOR YOU AND FOR ME

WHEN WE MARRIED AND YOU TOOK MY NAME
WE KNEW WE BOTH HAD WON THE GAME

I’LL CLOSE THIS SUBJECT NOW, AS SUCH
I’VE PROB-LY ALREADY SAID TOO MUCH

IT WAS TOUGH BUT GOOD THOSE EARLY YEARS
BUT WE MADE IT THROUGH DESPITE OUR FEARS

THO’ THERE WERE TIMES OF NEAR DEFEAT
WHEN IT SEEMED THAT ENDS JUST WOULDN’T MEET

BUT EVEN THOUGH THOSE YEARS WERE LEAN
WE PLAYED A LITTLE IN BETWEEN

AS TIME WENT ON WE WORRIED LESS
AND FELT THE GLOW OF MILD SUCCESS

OUR CHILDREN GREW UP STRONG AND BRIGHT
AND MADE THEIR MARK IN THEIR OWN RIGHT

AND JUST THE WAY IT OUGHT TO BE
WE’RE STILL A CLOSE KNIT FAMILY

NOW THAT OUR WORK IS MOSTLY DONE
WE’VE HAD MORE TIME FOR HAVING FUN

WE’VE SAILED THE SEAS AND RODE THE TRAINS
AND FLOWN AROUND IN AIROPLANES

AND SATISFIED OUR URGE TO ROAM
BY TRAVELING IN OUR MOTOR HOME

AND THOUGH WE HAVE SLOWED DOWN A BIT
WE SMILE AND MAKE THE BEST OF IT

SO IT’S STILL GREAT TO BE ALIVE
AND GREAT TO HAVE YOU AS MY WIFE

ON THIS RELATIONSHIP WE THRIVE
AT THIS ANNIVERSARY SIXTY FIVE