When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in North Platte, Nebraska , it was believed that he had nothing left of any value Later, when the nurses were going through his 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 Missouri .. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem. And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet .

Crabby Old Man
What do you see nurses? . . What do you see?
What are you thinking . . . . when you're looking at me?
A crabby 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'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 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 .
Tis 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 guy 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 crabby old man . Look closer . . . see .. . . . . . .. . ME!!

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, IF WE ARE LUCKY!

see more dog and puppy pictures

WRITTEN BY A 15 yr. Old SCHOOL KID IN ARIZONA :


New Pledge of Allegiance (TOTALLY AWESOME) !
Since the Pledge of Allegiance And The Lord's Prayer Are not allowed in most Public schools anymore Because the word 'God' is mentioned.... A kid in Arizona wrote the attached

NEW School prayer :
Now I sit me down in school Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God Finds mention of Him very odd. If Scripture now the class recites, It violates the Bill of Rights. And anytime my head I bow Becomes a Federal matter now. Our hair can be purple, orange or green, That's no offense; it's a freedom scene. The law is specific, the law is precise. Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice. For praying in a public hall Might offend someone with no faith at all.  In silence alone we must meditate, God's name is prohibited by the state. We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks, And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.. They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible. To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen, And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.. It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong. We can get our condoms and birth controls, Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles. But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd. It's scary here I must confess, When chaos reigns the school's a mess. So, Lord, this silent plea I make: Should I be shot; My soul please take!
Amen

If I didn't have a dog or a cat...
I could walk around the yard barefoot in safety. My house could be carpeted instead of tiled and laminated. All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be Free of hair.

When the doorbell rings, it wouldn't sound like a kennel. When the doorbell rings, I could get to the door without wading through fuzzy bodies who beat me there. And I could sit on the couch and my bed the way I wanted, without taking into consideration how much space Several fur bodies would need to get comfortable.

I would have money and no guilt to go on a real vacation. I would not be on a first-name basis with 6 veterinarians, As I put their yet unborn grand kids through college.

The most used words in my vocabulary would not be: out, Sit, down, come, no, stay, and leave him/her/it ALONE.

My house would not be cordoned off into zones with Baby gates or barriers. I would not talk 'baby talk'. 'Eat your din din'. 'Yummy yummy for the tummy'..

My house would not look like a day care center, toys Everywhere. My pockets would not contain things like poop bags, treats and an extra leash.

I would no longer have to spell the words B-A-L-L, F-R-I-S-B-E- E, W-A-L-K, T-R-E-A-T, B-I-K-E, G-O, R-I-D-E

I would not have as many leaves (or pine needles) INSIDE my house as outside. I would not look strangely at people who think having ONE Dog/cat ties them down too much.

I'd look forward to spring and the rainy season instead Of dreading 'mud' season. I would not have to answer the question 'Why do you have So many animals?' from people who will never have the joy In their lives of knowing they are loved unconditionally by Someone as close to an angel as they will ever get.

How EMPTY my life would be!

"Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened."

No matter what situations life throws at you...

No matter how long and treacherous your journey may seem..

Remember there is a light at the end of the tunnel.