#69 Nursing Home Eyes

About 10 years ago I participated in the local "Adopt a Grandparent Day" down at a local Old Folks home. And this is the story of Rose, my adopted grandparent and what her eyes seemed to be saying to the world.

Though Rose has since passed away I think she would be proud to know what a great inspiration knowing her had on my career as a full time writer of Poetry & Prose.

This poem originally was published in Poems on Life

Nursing Home Eyes

by Todd-Michael St. Pierre

Look into my window,

Observe synthetic flowers

Swaying to a ceiling fan breeze,

And a wallflower, wheelchair- bound at that.

For hours I look out

I see concrete, undernourished shrubs,

Cars and bikes rush by

And they keep me company.

Faded draperies

Speak for years that have fallen behind me.

Suddenly a slave to nostalgia

And withered memories.

Do you see the photographs on my vanity?

Notice how they stare back at me

With abstract smiles for the elderly.

I know they are too busy.

Everyone has his own life to live.

I understand!

Hey . . . would you look into my world?

Share a thought?

I know you have no time to visit.

Yes I am still here,

Alone, but alive.

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Visitor Comments (from the Voting form)

PEG

WE VISIT A CERTAIN NURSING HOME EACH WEEK. UPON READING THIS POEM, I SUDDENLY INVISIONED A VERY PRECIOUS LADY SITTING BY HER WINDOW LOOKING OUT, A BIRD FEEDER, HANGS OUTSIDE THE WINDOW,SHE CAN WATCH THE BIRDS, SHE CAN ALSO SEE THE TRAFFIC AND PEOPLE WHO COME INTO THE PARKING LOT AND I HAVE WATCHED HER AND WONDERED, DOES SHE EVER WONDER,, WHERE DO ALL THESE PEOPLE GO? ONCE IN AWHILE, A FAMILY MEMBER COMES BY TO VISIT, WE TRY TO CARRY HER TO THE CHURCH SERVICE ALONG WITH OUR LOVED ONE. IT IS WONDERFUL TO KNOW GOD HAS GIVEN TALENTS TO THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO WRITE THE THOUGHTS OF OTHERS LESS FORTUNATE THAN MANY OF US, WHO, ONE DAY WILL PROBABLY BE ON THE INSIDE ,LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW. THANKS AGAIN FOR BRIGHTENING UP MY DAY. PEG
sherry

i work in a nursing home and this is how some feel
CORINNE

I AGREE WITH THE OTHERS,I HAVE WORKED IN NURSING HOMES AND SEEN THE PATIENTS BEING ABUSED AND I HAVE TOLD ON THEM AND TO THE OWNERS,ALL I GOT WAS ALAUGH AND EVEN ONE LADY THAT SHOWERED PEOPLE AT MINERVA CONVALESENT CENTER ABUSED THE PATIENTS AND SCREAMED AT THEM,DO YOU THINK ANYONE CARED,NOT ONE WORKER BUT MY MOTHER AND I. WISH FAMILYS WOULD VISIT MORE AND PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR LOVED ONES CARES, KEEP UP THE GOOD POETRY AND WORK,BE PROUD TO CARE FOR THE ELDERLY,I DID,
Rose

nice poem
Rose

I just did a search on nursing home poems and came up with quite a few listings in my search. I am a housekeeper at a home here in my home town. I kind of agree with the auther, but we do not have faded and wilted trees at our facility, but I do think that we need more cenas to cover for the residents as there are a lot of times that i see lights on for long periods at a time and there are only certain things I can do and a lot of things i can not do for them because i am a housekeeper.
Stephanie

I loved that poem b/c it is so true I am a cna at a nursing home and if only we had time to really get to know them but we don't and sometimes they feel like they are invisible
louise

I loved the poem!I woked in a home for 23 yrs. THEY ARE STORAGE BUILDING FOR THE PEOPLE WHO GAVE US LIFE!
S

This is a touching entry, and as a nurse employed in a county facility that is rather large and dull, I think your thoughts bring forth the reminder that when we ask a patient/client/resident how they are feeling, it is so important to really listen to their answer. A smile from the nurse might be the only sunshine a patient sees all day: remember to shine YOURS always!
Deborah

I disagree Lisa, that may be true of the home you work at, but many are for poor seniors that can barely make it, & I know because I have spent years working in the ones with faded draperies & dead bushes, where the patients are often neglected, I have witnessed fellow workers at 3 different homes abusing patients & reported it to the state, you are blessed to work in a good one, but not everyone has a choice to go to a good one, they just end up where their kids put them & many of our patients who had 5, 6, 7 adult children never got so much as a single visit in years of being a resident, so please do not fool yourself into thinking these types of nursing homes are an old myth, as they are very much a reality!
Michael

I liked it alot. It Touch my heart so keep up the wonderful job
lisa

This poem was sad and beautiful but does not hold true to the Nursing Home I have spent the last 20 years devoting my life to. I am an activity director and when you are not there as family and friends we as staff members are. Our curtains are not faded, our bushes are alive and so is our home with laughter and love. I hope a happier poem may follow so the old myth that a nursing home is just a place to die is replaced with a new truth that it truly can be a place to live also.
alex

this is a good poem
jessy

So true, and very empathic - the elderly have a story to tell - look into their eyes and you will see a beauty, a full life that has been lived and a wealth of wisdom!
leopard324

Thank you so much 4 writing this touching poem, I hope when someone else reads this and if they have a loved one in a nursing home they will pay them a visit because they are lonely in there and n my case i never had the time 2 go see my great-grandmother and she died a sorrowful death because she was alone with no one 2 understand her. Thanks
Bernadette

Poems are all about feelings and conveying them. this poem does just that. As a nurse who worked in a nursing home for years I know that what he has expressed in the poem is so very true. a poem like this needsto be posted in the nursing home where too many people are forgottenespecially their feelings and their heart
Patsy

I believe this poem is true. I worked at a nursing home and all I could see was noone visiting the patients and we need mor of this. It is really sad but true. These people are human beings still and live on and they need family to visit them. We need more of these poems so maybe it will reach the hearts of people who doesn't have a care in this world. I rate this poem the highest and need more.
margaret

This poem will save me years of regret I hope. From this day forward I`ll never miss a visit no matter how inconvenient. These words have touched me deeply Thank you Todd.
darlene

this poem has so much feeling for the elderly. i work with the elderly and if you sit and talk with them they love that and you can learn so much from them and how full a life they had. thanks
Barb

Very good.
Marie

This poem is so true.... It's of the forgotten still living, empty and alone

All Visitor Comments on this poem have been posted by people who wanted to let the author know the poem touched their hearts. If you would like to leave a comment of your own, please visit the main Passions in Poetry site at www.netpoets.com.

#69 Nursing Home Eyes

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