THE POEMWhat do you see Nurses, What do you see?What are you thinking when you look at me?A crabby old woman, not very wise,Uncertain of habit with far away eyes.Who dribbles her food and makes no reply,Who when you say in a loud voice, I do wish you’d try,Who seems not to notice the things that you doAnd is forever losing a stocking or shoe.Who is unresisting or not, lets you do as you will,With bathing and feeding the day long to fillIs that what you were 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 stillAs I do 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 anotherA young girl of sixteen with wings on her feet,Dreaming that soon a lover she’ll meet. A bride now twenty, my heart gives a leap,Remembering the vows I promised to keep,At twenty-five now, I have young of my own,Who need me to build a secure happy home.A woman off thirty, my young grow fastBound to each other with ties that should last.At forty my young ones have grown and have gone,But my man’s beside me to see I don’t moanAt fifty once more babies play around my kneeAgain we know children, my loved one and me.Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead,I look at the future, I shudder with dread,For my young are all rearing young of their ownI think of the years and the love that I’ve knownI’m an old woman now, and nature is cruel‘Tis her jest to make old age look like a fool.The body it crumples, grace and vigour depart;There is now a stone where once I had a heart.But inside this carcass, a young girl still dwellsAnd now and again my battered heart swellsI remember the joys, I remember the painsI’m loving and living, life over again.I think of the years all too few-gone too fastAnd accept the stark fact that nothing can last.So open your eyes nurse, open and see,Not a crabby old woman. Look closer, see ME.Author - Anonymous Dementia Patient
Posted on: Tue, 19 Aug 2014 19:52:24 +0000