www.perpetualcommotion.com
"Give with a free hand, but give only your own."
 -- J.R.R. Tolkien The Children of Hurin
Poems

I have nothing to sell you but hope, and that I give you for free.

I found these poems on a message board. I have no idea if the story behind the origin of this poem is true, I doubt it, but both version of the poems I think stand on their own:
When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a small hospital near Tampa, Florida, 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

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 ...........I 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!!

Crabby Old Woman

What do you see‚ nurses?
What do you see?
What are you thinking
When you're looking at me?
A crabby 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 do wish you'd try!"
Who seems not to notice
The things that you do‚
And forever is losing
stocking 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 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
And 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'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 husband is dead‚
I look at the future‚
I 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 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‚ people‚
Open and see‚
Not a crabby old woman;
Look closer . . . see ME!!



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Updated: January 7, 2010
Inception: January 7, 2010