Cranky Old Man
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
This moving poem was recently sent to me and I can understand why it has gained such a wide audience.
When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in New South Wales, Australia it was believed that he had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his meagre 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. The old man’s sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in Christmas editions of magazines around the country and magazines for Mental Health. This old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this ‘anonymous’ poem winging across the Internet.
Cranky Old Man
What do you see nurses? - What do you see?
What are you thinking - When you’re looking at me?
A cranky 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 is 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 all the love that I’ve known.
I’m now an old man - And nature is cruel.
It’s 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 man 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 cranky old man ! - Look closer . . see . . . . . . . . ME!!
It is worth remembering this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within . . . . . we will all be there, too one day!
Dawn Primarolo, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, today announced three new pilot projects to help up to five million mums, dads, carers and grandparents get important parenting information support and guidance. This will be an invaluable resource for social work and hopefully draw together the wealth of information that is currently located on many websites.
Health and well being are central to the quality of the lives of children in care. We know that looked after children often experience worse outcomes, particularly in what they achieve and attain, but it is also the same for many health aspects of their lives.
An article in the September 2009 edition of Social Work Connections published by the General Social Care Council (GSCC) reveals a worrying finding about the support employers are providing for their social workers. The management of risk is crucial to safe working practices and gives social workers confidence in reporting issues which could impact about the well being of service users. 
Log on at ALISON and prepare yourself for the 21st Century workplace today!.
Round Two for Practitioner-Led Research 2008-09 - Integrated Working
Loading ...
