Thursday 25 February 2010

THANKS TO OLIVE FOR THIS.

THIS HAS BEEN DOING THE ROUNDS FOR A WHILE.I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE READ BY EVERY CARER,EVERY NURSE,ANYONE WHO CARES FOR AN ELDERLY PARENT.
It made me cry.because sometimes i forget.


Sometimes we all need to be reminded that there are others out there who need a listener.


CRABBY OLD MAN

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in North Platte , Nebraska , it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.
Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Missouri .

The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.

And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.




Crabby Old Man

What do you see nurses?. . . .. . What do you see?
What are you thinking . .. ……. When you're looking at me?
A crabby old man . . . . . Not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . With faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food . . . . . And makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . 'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . . .. The things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not . . . . . Lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . ..The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . .. You're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am. . . . .. . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . . . . As I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . . . . . With a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . ……..Who love one another.

A young boy of Sixteen . . . . …With wings on his feet.
Dreaming that soon now . . . . . A lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . . . My heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . . .. . . That I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now . . . . ……I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . . …. And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . . . …………My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . . …….With ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons . . . . . Have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me . . . To see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, ………….babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . .My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me . . . . ….My wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . . ………. Shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . . Young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . . . And the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man . . . …… . And nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age . . . … Look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . . . … Grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . .. ……. Where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass . . A young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . . . …… My battered heart swells.
I remember the joys . . . . . …...I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . Life over again.

I think of the years, all too few ... Gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . .. . . …That nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . . . . Open and see.
Not a crabby old man . . . Look closer . . . See ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet
an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within.

We will all, one day, be there, too!

PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM

The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched.

They must be felt by the heart.


AND SOMETIMES IT GETS FORGOTTEN THAT THAT OLD MAN OR WOMAN SITTING IN THEIR CHAIR,PERHAPS SCARED AND BEWILDERED WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THEM,WERE ONCE YOUNG.WERE ONCE ACTIVE. take care all.

12 comments:

Lucy said...

Mort, how true. I have seen it in nursing homes when I visited family. I remember my mom asking the same question over and over. We always answered her like she had not asked that same question 5 minutes before. That is such a true poem. I have noticed a difference by some people on how I am spoken to. I am just an old lady with white hair to some already. One difference, I can still defend myself.

Sugar said...

i have seen this for many yrs, & always stop & read it again ea time i run upon it. it holds such truth!
ty for posting it for all to see again, & those that have never seen it.
huggies...

mortonlake said...

yes lucy,you can.so many cant im afraid.ty to you and sugar.new post on private journal in next few days x

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Truer words were never spoken. Young people for get so quickly and before they know it they will be the old ones.

jack69 said...

I have learned one thing with age, you have to get here to understand what is meant by, "Time sure flies."

You also must age to know what the old man is truly saying. Yes Your Mum knows, You are beginning to know. Life is good, life is bad. We handle it as it comes like the old man. In our minds we relive and relive.
God Bless, hope you are faring well and the same with Mum. Hate the battle with the Gout.

Rose said...

What a beautiful Poem. Thank you so much for sharing.

Hugs, Rose

Ally Lifewithally said...

Dear Mort I just love this ty for sharing ~ Ally x

Jean said...

Hi Mort
This poem is so true ,we all hope and pray when we get older that there will be people who care for us .I didn't know you lived in Stiffkey we go past there while we stay at Blakeney in a friends little cottage ..have a nice weekend ...love Jean

pam said...

Hey My Fav Other Man. What an absolutely Beautiful poem. I do "see" the people and hope that others do too, especially after reading this. I will definately pass this along too. Love pam.xx

Unknown said...

How true this is. I am so glad you shared this awesome poem. I pray that all of us who read it will not forget its message. Your Mom is blessed to have a son like you/

Valerie said...

Beautiful. I have seen this before a few times. It is a woman sometimes. Very touching. Mort, thanks for all of your visits to my joke blog. Yes, I do clean up my jokes often. LOL I have to. You have a good day and weekend. You are special =). Love, Val xox

Herrad said...

Hi Mort,
Came by to say hello, hope the new week will be pleasant for you.
Love,
Herrad