Poems

"Every person you meet knows something you don't, learn from them."

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As I enter my place of calling

As I enter my place of calling I ask for strength as I help those in needing.
Hide my tears for the sick and aging and let my Smile be the hope they're seeking.
Guide my hands as they do for them the things they can't do, and we take for granted.
Allow my eyes to see those things that make….. my stay with them a blessing. Provide the
words I need to speak to let them know I love them so. As I do my work thru out the day.
It is for my residents that I pray.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

Have a wondrous day

"A Young Girl Still Dwells"

What do we, you ask, what do we see ?
Yes, we are thinking when looking at thee!
We may seem to be hard when we hurry and fuss,
But there's many of you and too few of us.
We would like far more time to sit by you and talk,
To bath you and feed you and help you to walk,
To hear of your lives and the things you have done;
Your childhood, your husband, your daughter, your son,
But time is against us, there's too much to do-
Patients too many and nurses too few.
We grieve when we see you so sad and alone,
With nobody near you, no friends of your own.
We feel all your pain, and know of your fear
That nobody cares now your end is so near.

But nurses are people with feelings as well,
And when we're together, you'll often hear tell
Of the dearest old Gran in the very end bed,
And the lovely old Dad, and the things that he said,
We speak with compassion and love, and feel sad
When we think of yours and the joy that you've had.
When the time has arrived for you to depart,
You leave us behind with an ache in our heart.

When you sleep the long sleep, no more worry or care,
There are other old people, and we must be there.
So please understand if we hurry and fuss--
There are many of you and too few of us.

By Liz Hogben

Please visit Nurses are Angles
Thanks to "Nurses Are Angels" for the use of this poem

http://www.nursesareangels.com/nursing_poems.htm

Bless The Elderly

Bless The aged as they live out their days

Bless Them with Peace... Bless Them with Love

Bless Them with faith... Bless Them with Joy

Bless Them with Assurance... Bless Them with Hope

Bless Them with Tranquility and Serenity

Bless Them with You Dear Jesus

Bless Them and their Loved Ones.

LIFE IS.

Life is a dream, realize it,

Life is a challenge, meet it,

Life is a duty, complete it,

Life is a game, play it,

Life is sorrow, overcome it,

And Life is a song, sing it.

A FRIVOLOUS OLD GAL

I have become quite a frivolous old gal.
I am seeing five gentlemen everyday!
As soon as I wake, WILL POWER helps me out of bed.
When he leaves, I go to see JOHN.
Then CHARLEY HORSE comes along and when he is there,
he takes a lot of my attention.
When he leaves, ARTHUR RITIS shows up and stays
the rest of the day.
He doesn't like for me to stay in one place very long,
so he takes me from joint to joint.
After such a busy day, I am really tired and ready
to go to bed with BEN GAY! What a life!
Oh, yes, the preacher came to call the other day.
He said at my age I should be thinking about
the hereafter. I told him, "Oh, I do, all the time.
No matter where I am, in the parlor, upstairs,
in the kitchen, or down the basement....I ask myself ....
"NOW, WHAT AM I HERE AFTER????"

CRY FROM A CRABBED OLD WOMAN

What do you see nurses; what do you see ?
What are you thinking when you are looking at me –
A crabbed old woman, not very wise,
Uncertain of habit, with far away 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 a stocking or shoe.
Who unresisting or not, lets you do as you will
With bathing and feeding the long day to fill.
Is that what you are 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 use 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 build a secure, happy home:
A woman of thirty, my young now grow fast,
Bound to each other with ties that should last:
At forty, my young sons have grown and have 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 us 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 an old woman now and nature is cruel –
‘Tis her 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 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, ah too few – gone too fast,
And I accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes nurse, open and see
Not a crabbed old woman, look closer, see me.

The author of this poem was a very elderly lady who was a
psychogeriatric patient in a northern hospital. The poem was
found in her locker when she died .

When the Heart no Longer Sings

“When the mind longs to follow but the memory erases
And the lips form the words but the heart no longer sings”

When we look at you we wonder

Just where you are today ?

We want to stay and talk with you

But don’t know what to say.

We remember oh so much of you,

Of the things you said and did.

The love and laughter that you shared,

The tears you often hid.

You were different people to all of us

Wife and Mother to some.

Friend and cheery neighbour,

But now what have you become?

A shadow of your former self,

An empty shell ~ still cherished

But for you it is all so different ~

All sense and memory perished!

An increased forgetfulness,

Something said which is not quite right

A constant repeating of something

We have heard seven times tonight.

It’s not the physical slowing

That causes us such pain

It’s the misting of the eyes

When memory fails again.

It bothers us so very much

When you forget to shower,

That you cannot even remember

Which has been your favourite flower.

Odd socks and shoes

And three dresses on in the morning !

A blank and distant look

Which gives to us a warning.

For us the saddest thing of all

Is that you barely know

How very much we love you

And we wonder why it’s so.

You were kind and loving

And generous to your core.

It brings to us great comfort

To open memory’s door.

We look into your clouded eyes

And your confused expression see,

It breaks our hearts to see you thus –

But we have memory.

We recall your smile, your touch

The days when life was grand.

We love you and we remember

And accept the way it is planned.

April 2005

Thanks to Linda for letting me use the poem.

linjoyan@bigpond.net.au

* words by Buddy Sheffield

Nursing Assistants, Personal Carers, CNA's:
We are all caring and compassionate people doing a job we love and doing it well. Until you have walked in our shoes, you will never understand what our job entails. Just wish us well and know your family are in good hands.

Thanks for visiting.

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