Crabby Old Man..poem

peter026 · October 10, 2007

Just had to share.

Thought provoking.

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a small hospital near Tampa, Florida, 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. 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.

'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! Everyone has been dealt a different hand in life. Sometimes life has been harsher on one person compared to the next, which can make them crabby.

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. *** Bless. GROWING OLD IS NOT FOR SISSIES!!!

oldcro · October 11, 2007

How very very true.

Chris Skelton · October 11, 2007

Yeah well, as a 60 year old who still buys music CDs and ever increases the hi-fi......child of 60s? But, if it makes all you youngsters look after me in my Lexus aided dotage!

I hate all these maudlin things really!

'Live on in the future, don't look back'? (John Lee Hooker)

Anyway Peter026, thought you were the 'Todays joke' person! Keep up!!