Coming Up Short

I had my bags all packed
left this coat up on the rack
then snagged a thread on the way to leave
recalled how it used to look on me
and once more, I'm rolling up its sleeves

But I keep coming up short
like Napoleonic war
and though I'm still a little sore
like a boxer from the floor
I keep coming back for more

The road ahead brings a worn smile
when I look back on the last mile
Break my bones, cut my feet
shake the ground 'til I quease
Bring up blisters, bugs, disease
There will be no more wasted time for me

Now, that's not to say I'm living perfectly
I've traded boozing for a tooth that's more than sweet
but if I'm glutting my stomach uncomfortably
I guess I'd rather have my liver fight gum disease
And if the teeth have got to go
then the teeth will have to go
Cause if I'm dust, then life's a good stiff breeze

And like the rings around a tree show it takes time for one to grow
and even as you branch out, your roots will trip you as you go
And like the aforementioned tooth decay
there are things I could tend to yesterday
Collecting dust is easy, but marching on gets hard

The road ahead brings a worn smile
when I look back at the last mile
Break my bones, cut my feet
shake the ground 'til I quease
Bring up blisters, bugs, disease
There will be no more wasted time for me

But I keep coming up short
like Napoleonic war
and though I'm still a little sore
like a boxer from the floor
I keep coming back for more

The road ahead brings a worn smile
when I look back at the last mile
Break my bones, cut my feet
shake the ground 'til I quease
Bring up blisters, bugs, disease
There will be no more wasted time for me