Old age is never easy. Old, weak, ill…
This is what old age means for most people. And having to spend the last years
of your life surrounded by strangers makes old age even more difficult to bear.
Unfortunately,
most seniors have no other option, but a nursing home to live in.
And although a nursing home is a place
which provides medical care along with physical, speech and occupational
therapy for the old who don’t need to stay in a hospital, but can’t be cared
for at home, they rarely offer emotional support to their residents. And this
is often more important than medical attention.
When Mark
Filiser, an old man, died at the geriatric ward of a nursing home, the staff
thought he’d left nothing of value. But soon, they realized they’d made a
mistake.
What they found was a beautiful poem
called Cranky Old Man which
the old man had written days before his death. The poem left everyone lost for
words, and the nurse in charge made sure all employees got copies of the
heart-breaking lyrics.
Cranky
Old Man
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!!
If this poem has
touched your heart, make sure you never forget that an old body may actually be
hiding a young spirit willing to live. So, the next time you meet an old
person, look deeper – look for the man that once lived in that helpless body.
This poem may
touch many more hearts, so feel free to share and enlighten others too. Has it touched
yours?
