THE OLD WOMEN

THE OLD WOMAN

What are you thinking when you look at me?

A crabbit old woman, 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 wish you’d try.”

Who seems not to notice the things that you do,

Who forever is losing a sock or a shoe.

Who unresisting 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, you’re not looking at me.

I’ll tell who I am as I sit here so still,

As I move at your bidding and 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 girl at 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 build a secure happy home.

A woman of thirty my young now grow fast,

Bound to each other with ties that should last.

At forty my young now soon will be gone,

But my man stays 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 husband is dead,

I look at the future, I shudder with dread.

My young are all busy rearing young of their own,

I think of the years and the love I have known.

I’m an old woman now, and nature is cruel,

‘Tis her jest to make our old age look the 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 so fast,

And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.

So open your eyes, nurse, open and see,

Not a crabbit old woman, look closer – SEE ME!

~*~

Source Unknown

This poem really speaks to me I made copies of this and printed it off with nice paper and gave each of the caregivers a copy. I also hung one up in the nurses office to remind me to open my eyes and take a closer look at my patients.

I asked “Mrs Nordstroms” how old she was..It didn’t take her but a half a second to say 25.

She asked me to help her turn on the CD player.

I obliged and soon a crooner from ages past was belting out a show tune.

I said “who is singing?”

She says “well it’s Dean Martin, of course.”

“He was a handsome man”, I said.

“Oh yes!” she said I will let you have his top half but I will have his bottom half”.

Words from a 94 year old Alzheimers patient