Cranky Old Man
Nurses Reply
WHAT DO WE SEE – YOU ASK! – JUST WHAT DO WE SEE
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT ME
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
OF YOUR CHILDHOOD -YOUR HUSBAND -YOUR DAUGHTER -YOUR SON
BUT TIME IS AGAINST US, THERE’S SO 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 DEAREAST OLD GRAN IN THE VERY END BED
AND THE LONELY OLD DAD AND THE THINGS THAT HE SAID
WE SPEAK WITH COMPASSION AND LOVE AND FEEL SAD
WHEN WE THINK OF YOUR LIVES 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
BUT THERE ARE OTHER OLD PEOPLE- AND WE MUST BE THERE
SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND IF WE HURRY AND FUSS
THERE ARE MANY OF YOU – AND SO FEW OF US.
AUTHOR UNKNOWN