When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in North Platte , Nebraska , 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 .
What do you see nurses? . . What do you see?
Who dribbles his food . . .. . . . And makes no reply .
Who seems not to notice . . . The things that you do .
Who, resisting or not . . . . . . . Lets you do as you will,
I'll tell you who I am. .. . . As I sit here so still,
I'm a small child of Ten . . . . . With a father and mother,
A young boy of Sixteen . . . With wings on his feet
A groom soon at Twenty. . . . My heart gives a leap.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . .. . ..I have young of my own.
A man of Thirty . . . . . . . . . My young now grown fast,
At Forty, my young sons . . . . Have grown and are gone,
At Fifty, once more, . . . .. . Babies play 'round my knee,
Dark days are upon me . . . . . .My wife is now dead.
For my young are all rearing . . . . . . Young of their own.
I'm now an old man . . . . . . . . . And nature is cruel.
The body, it crumbles . . . . ... . Grace and vigor, depart.
But inside this old carcass . . . . . A young guy still dwells,
I remember the joys . . . . . . . .. I remember the pain.
I think of the years . . . . .All too few . . . . . . Gone too fast.
So open your eyes, people . . . . . . . .. Open and see.
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!
What are you thinking . . . . . When you're looking at me?
When you say in a loud voice . . . . .. 'I do wish you'd try!'
And forever is losing . . . . . A sock or shoe/
With bathing and feeding. . . . The long day to fill?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . . You're not looking at me .
As I do at your bidding, . . . . . As I eat at your will.
Brothers and sisters . . . . . . . Who love one another
Dreaming that soon now . . . . .. A lover he'll meet.
Remembering, the vows . .. . . . .That I promised to keep.
Who need me to guide . . . . And a secure happy home.
Bound to each other . . . . . . .With ties that should last.
But my woman's beside me . . . . . . .To see I don't mourn.
Again, we know children . . . . . . . My loved one and me.
I look at the future . . . . . . . . . I shudder with dread.
And I think of the years . . .. . . . . And the love that I've known.
Tis jest to make old age . . . . . .Look like a fool.
There is now a stone . . . . .. . .. . Where I once had a heart.
And now and again . . . .. . . . My battered heart swells
And I'm loving and living . . . . .. . . .Life over again.
And accept the stark fact . . . . . . .. . That nothing can last.
Not a crabby old man . . . Look closer . . . . See . . . . . . . . ME!