My wife hung this poem up at her work....

[MarkCDodd]

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!!

Apparently written by an older gentlemen at another aged care facility.

[dudleytaylor]

might as well be dead after fifty then. Dt

[MarkCDodd]

He didn't mention an age past 50. He could of been 99 when his missus died for all we know.

[dudleytaylor]

yes ,but his life seems to have gone downhill after fifty

[Northern Lass]

wonder if he had hairy hands?

[dudleytaylor]

Give me hairy hands any day !

[Northern Lass]

Give me hairy hands any day !

Put them on your list for Santa!

[dudleytaylor]

Its WHO those hairy hands belonged toooo, that would interest me hmmm. Dt hairy hands would'nt suit me I'm to pretty

[grangers14]

I have read that before and it is so true.
When I worked I used to look after people as though they were my own family. Not numbers or conditions, just people who need care and support.
Well done to your wife for putting it up, shows we all aren't empty souls.
Jo

[dudleytaylor]

I have read that before and it is so true.
When I worked I used to look after people as though they were my own family. Not numbers or conditions, just people who need care and support.
Well done to your wife for putting it up, shows we all aren't empty souls.
Jo

I agree with you totally Jo, but speaking for myself I would not want strangers to care for me.I know there is an older generation out there with no one to care for them, and there are alot of good carers out there to support them , but there are also alot of bad people too . My husbands aunty will be 100 in 2014 ,and i do hope she makes it.She is a marvellous woman ,who helped the blind when she was younger. She is in a private home ,and had to sell her house to be there. I thought the poem was good but to me it gave little hope to people of our generation. That life after fifty was not worth looking forward too . If my opinion is wrong or I did not understand what the poem represented then all i can say is that if i do not understand the meaning then others will not either. This is only my opinion and does not reflect on anything you have wrote.

[MarkCDodd]

The poem is highlighting the need for elderly people to be treated with respect.

It is not a comment on the quality of life beyond 50.

Nursing homes do differ in the quality of the staff and care.

It is up to people to choose wisely.

[Northern Lass]

The poem is highlighting the need for elderly people to be treated with respect.

It is not a comment on the quality of life beyond 50.

Nursing homes do differ in the quality of the staff and care.

It is up to people to choose wisely.

Excellent poem Mark it does exactly that for me.

[dudleytaylor]

I understand that Mark, all i am saying is that life for this man was pretty dismal after he hit fifty ,that there was nothing for him to look forward too . His wife had died ,and he was in a care home where he felt no one cared. This is what poetry is all about . It makes you think ,and see things differently though other's eyes. What i see in this poem might be different to what other people see . Its a very good talking point,and if it gets people talking then that's good .

[Northern Lass]

I love that about a poem that everyone takes something different away from it.
Can't remember who said when asked what the poem meant.....What does it mean to you.
T s eliot? or James Joyce ....anyway the world would be a poorer place without a bit of rhyme and reason

[dudleytaylor]

Oh thank god ! I thought I was the only one. you have said it just right Jan . Dt