What do you see nurses? What do you see? | ||
What are you thinking when you’re looking at me? | ||
A cranky 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 is 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. I 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. | ||
It’s jest to make old age look like a fool. | ||
The body, it crumbles. Grace and vigour, depart. | ||
There is now a stone where I once had a heart. | ||
But inside this old carcass, A young man 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 cranky old man. | ||
Look closer … See … Me. | ||
[Another of those wonderful poems and inspirational words which end up making it to the internet and touching thousands of people. I found this on a blog I follow maintained by David Kanigan: Lead.Learn.Live | ||
http://davidkanigan.com/2012/08/19/cranky-old-man/ | ||
If you have a chance, please visit David’s site and thank him for sharing this with us… — kmab] | ||
. | ||
On This Day In: | ||
2021 | Dreaming Of You | |
Sweet Memories | ||
2020 | He Ought To Be Unemployed | |
May I Have A Little More, Please | ||
2019 | Cash Only, Please | |
Day 14: End Of Week 2 | ||
2018 | House To Home | |
2017 | Got Education? | |
2016 | Necessary Company | |
2015 | Reality Vs Imagination | |
2014 | Penalty Period | |
2013 | Theft | |
2012 | Cranky Old Man | |
2011 | A Man’s Got To Know His Limitations | |
Cranky Old Man
September 12, 2012 by kmabarrett
Thanks for sharing Kevin
The honor is to serve… (or in this case, to share.)