At the start of Seniors’ Week in Australia – an old man’s poem sent to me that was tough to read on air last night – wonderful stuff

From Glen at the start of seniors week Image via Wikipedia When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in  GRASS VALLEY , CA. 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…THE RIPPER

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 . . . . . 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!

Meanwhile click here to hear a brilliant song on a similar passage of life theme – the amazing Bonnie Raitt & Jackson Browne

for Amy, Nora and all who’ll be in Chicago this weekend in the Overnight Walk for suicide prevention – see theovernight.org and support these people please

http://www.theovernight.org/

Gerry & The Pacemakers – You’ll Never Walk Alone

click here for an interview with Amy Kiel on surviving clinical depression and living with chronic pain – Amy is amazing.

Please follow Amy on twitter @abeeliever and fellow walker Nora @noralmt as they walk to remember those who died and reduce the death toll from PREVENTABLE/TREATABLE mental illness.

Amy Kiel @Abeeliever

A major way we can all help is to reduce the deadly stigma surrounding mental illness – you can do that by supporting brave people like Amy who take huge risks to speak up about their experence.

Amy & Tony talking about thriving after surviving major clinical depression

Image via CrunchBase

Here’s two people talking.

Amy Kiel @Abeeliever

Amy and Tony

22 min 22 sec  download,share,digg us,

we’re you yours !    =D

I’ll post details and links soon, including info on how anyone can record & produce quality interviews with anyone anywhere on things close to their heart.

If anyone has input on providing some visuals, slideshow,etc…we’ll youtube it.

We spoke live, Skype to phone, and the only editing I did was cutting a few seconds where we lost the link and adding a few little things for you.

To life…and the cool fools in the twitterverse =D @perthtones

My Twitter is @perthtones follow me for links to amazing folk and info

© 2009 Amy Kiel & Tony Serve    This audio is free to copy and share as long as it’s not for commercial advantage.