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Devotion

Crabby Old Lady

This is special, and has been floating around the Internet for a while…

When  an old woman died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home  in Moosomin, Saskatchewan, it was  believed that she had  nothing left of  any value.  Later, when the  nurses were going through her 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 Alberta.

The old woman’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  t his simple, but eloquent, poem.

This little old woman, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this  ‘anonymous’ poem winging across the  Internet.

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Crabby  Old Lady

 

What do you see nurses?  . .. . What do you see?

What are you thinking ..  .. .. when you’re looking at me?

A crabby old lady .. ..  .. not very wise,

Uncertain of habit .. ..  .. with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles her 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  .. .. .. a 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 girl of Ten  . .. . with  a father and mother,

Brothers and sisters ..  .. .. who love one another.

 

A young girl of Sixteen  .. .. .. with wings on her feet.

Dreaming that soon now  .. .. .. a lover she’ll meet.

A bride 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 ..  .. ..  a secure happy home.

A woman 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 man is beside me  . .. . to see I don’t mourn.

At Fifty, once more, ..  .. .. babies play ’round my knee,

Again, we know children  .. .. .. My husband and me.

 

Dark days are upon me ..  .. .. my husband’s now dead.

I look at the future ..  .. .. and 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 woman ..  . .. 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 girl 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 woman  .. .. .. 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!

 

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