In the previous post, I said that a few weeks ago, I've read the poem that went viral some years ago, 'The Cranky Old Man', and it made me terribly teary.
The story narrates that this poem was found after the passing of an old man in an Australian nursing home. An elderly who had no possessions except for a piece of paper with a heartbreaking message to carers.
The words spoke directly to me and my curiosity pushed me to look for more information about this man behind such an emotional verse.
To my great surprise, the link provided on a social network directed me to an old website with no data on it anymore.
It looked fishy, to say the least. A keen search – the internet, what a fantastic invention! The most extraordinary and helpful for me – uncovered the author of this exceptionally touching verse: 'A Crabbit Old Woman'.
I wanted to believe it was an elderly, man or woman, who scribbled so magnificently that cry for dignity and appreciation but – according to https://www.sundaypost.com –, it was a nurse from a Scots geriatric hospital who did that.
No wonder she understood the elderly so well.
You, your friends, your children – we all going to be elderly one day if that is written in our stories.
Read this poem that went viral almost 40 years ago after being printed in The Post, and allow yourself to feel the painful plea for recognition of a human in the winter of their life.
These words could come from you too one day.
LOOK CLOSER – A CRABBIT OLD WOMAN
What do you see, nurses, what do you see?
What are you thinking, when you look at me,
A crabbit old woman, not very wise,
Uncertain of habit, with far-away eyes,
Who, quite unresisting, lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding the long day to fill.
I’ll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,
As I move at your bidding, as I eat at your will.
I’m a small child of 10 with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters, who loved one another.
A bride now at 20 my heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows that I promised to keep.
At 25 now I have young of my own,
Who need me to build a secure happy home,
At 50 once more babies play around 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,
For my young are all busy with young of their own,
And I think of the years and the love that I’ve known.
The body it crumbles, grace and vigour 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, nurse, open and see,
Not a crabbit old woman, look closer see ME.
It is just as poignant.
Thank you so much for your visit.
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