just read this and im in tears now

this is from facebook and they want all to see

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, 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.
One nurse took her copy to Melbourne .. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.
And 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 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!!

www.facebook.com...

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! PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM, The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched. They must be felt by the heart.

Great! TQ for Sharing Sir..Make Me Feel So Calm..So Gentle..TQ again!

thank you it made me think reading that never judge a book by the cover and all that .

for one day soon that will be me covered in drool and stinking of pee .

a boy to a man now an old wrinklie .

o sxxt thats going to be me s & f op good read

So very beautiful.

It is a source of great disgust to me when I hear of society treating the elderly like old rubbish. They're people, too, with amazing stories and histories to share. It makes me angry for them to be disregarded as useless or something to be scorned.

Thanks for sharing OP and it's so true. I see the world as if I was still 30 but alas the mirror tells a different story. The young man for 30 that I once knew has been replaced by a bald, gray bearded and wrinkled older man. However, I refuse to let myself get old...I've found the secret to long life! The worlds greatest wife and a Harley...we don't let ourselves get old, we ride!

reply to post by maryhinge


How very cool ! Great post.

Thank you.

That's a wonderful legacy from someone at the end of the road, looking back to the ones coming along behind him. A beautiful gesture.

reply to post by maryhinge
the elderly are a treasure chest of knowledge and should be treated with the upmost respect, even
when cranky they have earned it.

Originally posted by AshleyD
So very beautiful.

It is a source of great disgust to me when I hear of society treating the elderly like old rubbish. They're people, too, with amazing stories and histories to share. It makes me angry for them to be disregarded as useless or something to be scorned.

Yes, in fact I believe this is one reason our society is in big trouble... It seems all facets of the family unit are under attack. People have mentioned the gender issues and mistreatment there, as well as youth in peril with drugs everywhere and teen pregnancies. One thing that connects all of these is the grandparent, or elders of the family. We no longer benefit from their experience. Instead its tossed aside as we refuse to look back in our pursuit for the treasures the future holds for us to unlock ourselves. We want our own recognition. We don't need them, we say. They can only get in the way!

Well, I believe a child benefits greatly from having 2 involved parents. But even more added benefit can come from a close relationship with their grandparent(s). Furthermore, when the parents have a hard time getting along, sometimes they could use some advice from someone more experienced, instead of what most people do, which is to get advice from their peers. People their own age. People who have consistently failed in relationships or aren't even in one. People with other motives to want to see your relationship succeed or fail.

And on top of all that, we are not benefiting from the wholesome, character-building experience of what it means to actually take care of another human being. Imagine all the people in the past who experienced that and how it effected them, compared to today...

this poem has been doing the rounds for years.

anyway;

Outline
Message circulating via social media and email claims that a touching poem about growing old called "Cranky Old Man" was found in the possessions of an old man who died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town.

Brief Analysis
This is an Australian version of several older stories that have circulated in the United States and the UK for many years. The stories attached to this version of the poem are fictional. The scenario described in the message did not happen and the poem was not found in the belongings of an old man in a nursing home as claimed. The poem itself has a long and somewhat obscure history. The original version featured an old woman rather than an old man and is sometimes attributed to English nurse Phyllis McCormack who reportedly penned it in the 1960's. The "old man" version of the poem was apparently adapted from the original by David L. Griffith
of Texas and can be seen in its original context on the poet's website.

www.hoax-slayer.com...

reply to post by maryhinge


Well that just made me cry as well, thank you and god bless this soul I hope he is with his mother and father and wife again.

So the story of the poem's origin doesn't have a plausible premise - that shouldn't be nowhere near the focus. Sure the poem was changed a bit over time, but the original intent of the poem still stands.

What I get from it:
-We should respect old people.
-We shouldn't shun them out of society.
-So what if the old lady next to you smells of 'that smell only old people have,' that will be you one day. It is a part of life.
-A tear.

A tear because I know I will find out the true meaning of that poem the hard way.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!

i thank you all for your replies (even the negative ones well someones got to give them a break)

im glad i was able to pass this on as this is where we are all heading

BTW stars for those that really care

ps

love you all

inside every old man is a young man wondering what the hell happened.

2

OH MAN, that is beautiful

starred that baby. my mom had advanced alzheimers and lived with us, so this is a heartfelt poem to me.

Originally posted by lacrimaererum
this poem has been doing the rounds for years.

anyway;

Outline
Message circulating via social media and email claims that a touching poem about growing old called "Cranky Old Man" was found in the possessions of an old man who died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town.

Brief Analysis
This is an Australian version of several older stories that have circulated in the United States and the UK for many years. The stories attached to this version of the poem are fictional. The scenario described in the message did not happen and the poem was not found in the belongings of an old man in a nursing home as claimed. The poem itself has a long and somewhat obscure history. The original version featured an old woman rather than an old man and is sometimes attributed to English nurse Phyllis McCormack who reportedly penned it in the 1960's. The "old man" version of the poem was apparently adapted from the original by David L. Griffith
of Texas and can be seen in its original context on the poet's website.

www.hoax-slayer.com...

Does that really matter at all as the words are True and reflect a universal truth about the way our culture treats the elderly were in former years the old received more respect at least in tribal society's whom recognised there years of experience as truly of worth and there knowledge as wisdom.

Were ever it came from it truly touches the soul of the reader and makes one think so if it was recirculated it was for a damn good cause and I admire whom ever did so, they have claimed no credit but used if for it's original purpose and I doubt the original author would object.

reply to post by maryhinge


This is very old - I remember reading it in the 80s - about a woman not a man though.
Yes it is lovely.

There are 3 truth in life you were born there are Taxes and You definitely will die.

I know what old people think!

How the # did I get old so fast and Oh god my back / hips!

I have I.B.S. (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) makes me feel like I'm Ninety Most of the time!

Originally posted by fr33kSh0w2012
There are 3 truth in life you were born there are Taxes and You definitely will die.

I know what old people think!

How the # did I get old so fast and Oh god my back / hips!

I have I.B.S. (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) makes me feel like I'm Ninety Most of the time!

edit on 29/6/13 by fr33kSh0w2012 because: (no reason given)

my mother suffers with I.B.S. (73 YEARS YOUNG and still works bless her)

yeah one thing in life we are born to do is die (sadly)