"Look Closer Nurse"What do you see nurse, what do you seeAre you thinking when you're looking at me A crabbbit old woman, not very wiseUncertain of habbit, with faraway eyes Who dribbles her food and makes no replyWhen you say in a loud voice, "I do wish you'd try" Who seems not to notice the things that you doAnd forever is losing a stocking or shoe Who, resisting or not, lets you do as you will With bathing and feeding, the long day to fillIs that what you're thinking, is that what you seeThen open your eyes nurse, for you're looking at me I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still As I use at you biddings, as I eat at your willI am a small child of ten with a father and motherBrothers and sisters who love one anotherA young girl of sixteen, with wings on her feetDreaming of soon her lover she'll meetA bride soon at twenty my heart gives a leapRemembering the vows that I promised to keepAt twenty five now I have young of my ownA woman of thirty, my young growing fastBound to each other with ties that will lastAt forty my young sons will now grow and be goneAf fifty, once more babies play around my kneeAgain we know children my loved one and me Dark days are upon me, my husband is deadI look to the future, I shudder with dreadFor my young are all busy, rearing young of their ownAnd I think of the years, and the love I have knownI'm now an old woman and nature is cruel Tis her jest to make old age look like a feelThe body, it crumbles, grace and vigour departThere isnow a stone where I once had a heartBut inside this old carcass a young girl still dwellsAnd now and again my battered heart swellsI remember the joys, I remember the painAnd I'm loving and living life all over againI think of the years all too few - gone, so fastAnd accept the stark fact that nothing can lastSo, open your eyes nurse, open and seeNot a crabbit old woman, look closer, see ME
Sunday’s poem: "Look Closer Nurse"What... - Lung Conditions C...
Sunday’s poem
Thank you for opening my eyes this morning Iris, its a lovely poem and one we should put into practice to see the person underneath the cover. Enjoy your Sunday x
This is so relevant today Iris and a great poem. Thank you for posting it today. Sending love and good wishes to you. Xxx❤️
A lovely poem thank you for sharing..Have a lovely day and take care 😊 Bernadette and Jack 🐕 xxxxxx 🌻🌻
Reminds me of a poster aimed at nurses. An old woman in a bed: “You can call me ‘love,’ or ‘darling’, but most people call me ‘Doctor’.”
Thanks for a lovely poem.
K xxx
Such a good poem 🙂
Should add, "and see yourself in times to come".
Brought tears to my eyes - thank you...
This so describes my life in younger days so describes my low moments.It can be hard work trying to keep my mood up sometimes.
Thank you. Mags
Hello Iris , thank you for your poem when I worked for Extra care that was one of our stand by poems to remind us that these patients once had a life too some had worked very hard and now needed caring for. Frustration is very prominent in older age especially when someone makes a blind person a cup of tea and does not tell them its there. I could tell some stories of my own experience both from working with elderly infirm and my own disability experiences. One of my bosses used to say it takes a special personality to work in care. One of my other bosses joined me at the local hospital on the new patients participation panel but has come to an end. Care no longer seems to be a part of life of a nurse , just wheel em in and hope a doctor can solve the need, elderly have become a no go need even in respect of a nursing home, until they are an emergency then it is too late, Thats how I feel when I have to use the services and I have often been seen by the best, the system is failing us and this poem is no longer a poem it is fact. Enjoy your day xx
That’s what I thought. I am 88 now and am very forgetful, no drive or energy for all the jobs around the house. Very little appetite, weigh just 7 stone now. Yes, my sons help but they have jobs, wives and houses to look after. Trying to get used to some hearing aids, thank god for subtitles! Love Iris x
Iris you are doing well , my family that help are my grandchildren as they are in their thirties but they have work, families and pleasure to fit in . I can manage most things and have adapted but its so hard when it takes so long and bending is impossible and I am much younger than you. Its the arthritic joints that won't work the hardest bit is explaining to others that you are not able and not feeling embarassed to say so, Some days now I just give in and things I can't do I have adapted other ways.
Another lovely poem Nana, looking forward to seeing you this week!
It’s beautiful but sad. X
What a great poem. Thank you Iris xx
This brought tears to my eyes. It's so easy to see an old person as they are and forget the person they have been. I'm 71 and don't consider myself to be 'elderly' yet, but I'm certainly treated that way by some medical professionals, and even by my son and daughter at times.
My granddaughter seems to see me through different eyes, though. At 17 she has a remarkable empathy and ability to listen and I love talking to her. One day, I apologised for repeating myself and she said, 'It's ok, Granny. We don't mind hearing stories again. We've listened to the Harry Potter CDs a lot more times than you've repeated your stories to us!' I thought that was lovely.
I am a member of our local WI which has an age range somewhere between 65 and 100. One of my most recently made 'best friends' is coming up for 96 whilst another (not in the WI) is the same age as my daughter. My WI friends are quite amazing and have taught me a lot in the 12 years I've been a member. One thing is there is no need to 'age gracefully' - 'DIS-gracefully is fine!' Some of the things that my friends come out with have us all in hoots - political correctness? What's that? But nothing is said with malice. Everyone has an interesting past and now and again a stories come to light that make me appreciate and respect my friends even more.
I think it would do a lot of nurses good to join such a group so that they would see past the wrinkles and grey hair and treat us as the people we are. Some have that natural ability, but others need to learn it through experience.
The poem you've posted is wonderful! Thank you.
xx Moy