台語羅馬 (Taiwanese-Roman)
Tih-tih-tah-tah!
Tih-tah-tih-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah-tah-tah-tih!
Tih-tah-tih-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah-tah-tah-tih!
Cha-poo sì-tsap āu ê hā-puànn-thîng, tiānn-tiānn ē ū tsit pēnn-tsìng.
Íng-kuè pàng-jiō sī tshiūnn tsuí-ling, tsit-má tsi̍t khiā tiō sī gōo hun-tsing.
Piān-táu tsîng kah tsuí-tshìng sio-gîn, sin-pinn lâng lâi lâng khì sī tsiok tsheh-sim.
In ke-si pàng-tsuí sī tshuànn-tshìng-tshìng, lán ê tsuí-tshiunn siān-siān kik suànn-hing.
Siàu-liân-lâng m̄ tsai-iánn lán khóo-thiong, tse sī nî-tióng ê hù-tsok-iōng.
Íng-kuè tsuí-tshìng tshio kah tshiūnn ka-tsiòng, tsit-má nuā-nuā--leh kah guá tuì-siòng.
Kha-tshng-phāng lâi tshut-la̍t beh sia̍t-hông, sann bió lâu gōo bió thîng sī m̄ siau-thiòng.
Pàng-liáu láng-khòo lâi tsíng gî-iông, bué-jiō siàm-tshut tshiūnn phuà uánn-kong! Ah phuà uánn-kong!
Tih-tah-tih-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah-tah-tah-tih!
Tih-tah-tih-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah-tah-tah-tih!
Uī-siánn tsuí-tshiunn ē tsiah huán-hîng? Sī liap-hōo-suànn puî-tuā ê pēnn-tsìng.
Phông-kong bô-la̍t sī put-tsiông-sim, tshiūnn tshiū-ling iōng kú mā ē piàn līng.
Pì-jiō-kho kiám-tsa lâi khak-tīng, siū tsíng-thâu ji̍p-tshin ê khok-hîng.
I-sing kau-tài mài kīm-jiō to kiān-hîng, khùn tsîng nn̄g tiám-tsing tsuí mài lim.
Tsuí lim bô luā kú tiō ài tshuē piān-sóo, siōng kiann piān-sóo kheh-muá lâi tam-gōo.
Kan-khóo--leh tán-tán kah i thǹg-khòo, tsi̍t khiā tiō sī khiā kui-poo.
Huân-ló ji̍t-āu kám ài pau jiō-pòo? Ah sī tsiap jiō-kóng kuānn jiō-ôo.
Lâm-tsú-hàn suah piàn tshuā-jiō-pô, hiông-hong put-tsài sī kuah-sim-tsô! Ah kuah-sim-tsô!
Tih-tah-tih-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah-tah-tah-tih!
Tih-tah-tih-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah-tah-tah-tih!
Tih-tah-tih-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah-tah-tah-tih!
Tih-tah-tih-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah! Tih-tih-tah-tah-tah-tah-tih!
English companion poem
Drip-drip! Drop-drop!
Drip-drop, drip-drop! Pitter-patter, pitter-pat! Drip-drip-drop-drop, drop-drop-drip!
Drip-drop, drip-drop! Pitter-patter, pitter-pat! Drip-drip-drop-drop, drop-drop-drip!
A man past forty on the downward slope, faces this curse with fading hope.
Once pissing surged like a dragon bold, now five long minutes just to hold.
Staring down the urinal at my limp hose, as the rush of men just comes and goes.
Their gear blasts hard with a roaring stream, while mine just sputters, out of steam.
Young lads can't fathom our quiet plight—the bitter tax of aging blight.
Once fierce and proud like a temple guard, now dangling sluggish, soft like lard.
Straining the perineum to make the river flow, Leaking and stalling, utterly weak, and slow.
Finished, hitch the pants and smooth my clothes, final drops seeped through like a broken bowl! Ah, a broken bowl!
Drip-drop, drip-drop! Pitter-patter, pitter-pat! Drip-drip-drop-drop, drop-drop-drip!
Drip-drop, drip-drop! Pitter-patter, pitter-pat! Drip-drip-drop-drop, drop-drop-drip!
Why has the water gun gone astray? An enlarged prostate bars the way.
The bladder weakens beyond control, like worn-out rubber that lost its soul.
A clinic checkup seals the doom: the finger ordeal in the exam room.
Doctor says, "Never hold, more walking, and no water before sleeping."
One sip of water and the search begins, fearing full stalls where patience thins.
Pained and pacing till the pants drop through, standing an age for a drop or two.
Will tomorrow bring diapers to bear? Or a catheter bag and jug to wear?
A stalwart man turned a leaky crone—manhood lost, cuts right to the bone! Ah, right to the bone!
Drip-drop, drip-drop! Pitter-patter, pitter-pat! Drip-drip-drop-drop, drop-drop-drip!
Drip-drop, drip-drop! Pitter-patter, pitter-pat! Drip-drip-drop-drop, drop-drop-drip!
Drip-drop, drip-drop! Pitter-patter, pitter-pat! Drip-drip-drop-drop, drop-drop-drip!
Drip-drop, drip-drop! Pitter-patter, pitter-pat! Drip-drip-drop-drop, drop-drop-drip!