Crabby Old Women .....

[marilyn morning]

My cousin (a nurse) shared this with me and I would like to pass it along.

When an old lady died in the geriatric ward of a small hospital near Dundee, Scotland it was believed that she had nothing of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through her 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 Ireland. The old lady's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the a news magazine for Mental Health. And this little old Scottish lady, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this "anonymous" poem winging across the Internet.

Crabby Old Women

What do you see, nurses?
What do you see?
What are you thinking
when you're looking at me?

A crabby old women,
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
a 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 promise to keep.

A twenty-five now,
I have young of my own,
who need me to guide
and secure a happy home

A women 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 women
and nature is cruel;
T'is 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 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 to 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!

[Jean Jeanie]

Jean

[AnnetteR]

Och Marylin - that wis beautiful - hid a good wee greet.

Thank you so much for passing that on

Take care

Annette

[ellenavon]

Blimey, we're all in tears all over the country.

Thank you, its very touching.

Ellen.

[Ina]

Hi Marilyn,

I came across that poem a few years ago. Still brings a lump to my throat when I read it.

Thanks for sharing it with everyone.

Ina

[nancy]

Hi marilyn,what a beautiful poem to add to the others you have sent to me.I'll sure pass it on to grandkids.I haven't been on recently as pc was out of action.Thanks from young Bruce(elvis)and me,for introducing us to this site.Will email you later. Nancy.

[marilyn morning]

Hello Jean, Annette, Ellen, Ina and Nancy

Sorry Girls, did not mean to make you cry, but I went through 1/2 box of tissues myself.

Nancy, welcome back on board! Missed ya.

Regards
Marilyn

[Malcolm]

Smashing

[marilyn morning]

I came across this tonight by accident and thought it was worth reading again for those who missed it the first time around.

[paddyscar]

Another look at aging - not quite so touching, but worth the read J

Finally a Barbie I can relate to. At long last, here are some NEW
Barbie dolls to coincide with her and OUR aging gracefully. These are a
bit more realistic...

1. Bifocals Barbie. Comes with her own set of blended-lens
fashion frames in six wild colors (half-frames too!), neck chain, and
large-print editions of Vogue and Martha Stewart Living.

2. Hot Flash Barbie. Press Barbie's bellybutton and watch her
face turn
beet red while tiny drops of perspiration appear on her forehead.
Comes with handheld fan and tiny tissues.

3.. Facial Hair Barbie. As Barbie's hormone levels shift, see her
whiskers grow. Available with teensy tweezers and magnifying mirror.

4. Flabby Arms Barbie. Hide Barbie's droopy triceps with these
new,roomier-sleeved gowns. Good news on the tummy front, two-MuMus with
tummy-support panels are included.

5. Bunion Barbie. Years of disco dancing in stiletto heels have
definitely taken their toll on Barbie's dainty arched feet. Soothe her
sores with the pumice stone and plasters, then slip on soft terry mules.

6. No-More-Wrinkles Barbie. Erase those pesky crow's-feet and lip
lines with a tube of Skin Sparkle-Spackle, from Barbie's own line of
exclusive age-blasting cosmetics.

7. Soccer Mom Barbie. All that experience as a cheerleader is r
eally paying off as Barbie dusts off her old high school megaphone to
root for Babs and Ken, Jr.. Comes with minivan in robin-egg blue or white
and cooler filled with doughnut holes and fruit punch.

8. Mid-life Crisis Barbie. It's time to ditch Ken. Barbie needs a change,
and Alonzo (her personal trainer) is just what the doctor
ordered, along with Prozac. They're hopping in her new red Miata and
heading for the Napa Valley to open a B&B. Includes a real tape of
"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do."

9. Divorced Barbie. Sells for$ 199.99. Comes with Ken's house,
Ken's car, and Ken's boat.

10. Recovery Barbie. Too many parties have finally caught up with
the ultimate party girl. Now she does Twelve Steps instead of dance
steps. Clean and sober, she's going to meetings religiously.. Comes with
a little copy of The Big Book and a six-pack of Diet Coke.

11. Post-Menopausal Barbie This Barbie wets her pants when she
sneezes, forgets where she puts things, and cries a lot. She is sick and
tired of Ken sitting on the couch watching the tube, clicking through the
channels.. Comes with Depends and Kleenex. As a bonus this year, the book
"Getting In Touch with Your Inner Self" is included.