My grandfather was getting older, and with this comes feeble mindedness and lack of taking care of yourself...My aunt made the decision to place him in a nursing home, none of us blame her for this but she placed him 120 miles away from home, making it very difficult for any of us to see him on a regular basis, I can only imagine how lonely he is. I miss him so very much and am hoping the words of this poem will touch her heart and give her the reason to move him closer to home before it is to late.

This poem originally was published in Poems on Life - Family Poems

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He Sits Alone
by Sandra Tolson
He sits there alone daily
Just wishing for someone
To take the time from their busy day
But night falls and there are none.

Time goes by so very slowly
For he goes through another day
Because he's old and feeble
Is this the price he must pay?

To die here all alone
Without his loved ones near
I can't imagine what he thinks
As he wipes away his tears.

He worked so hard all of his life
To have a few things to call his own
Now he's sitting in a wheelchair
In a far off nursing home.

Thinking about the old days
And finding himself living there
Because the life he has now
Is just to much for him to bare.

If only he could see them
The loved ones he holds so dear
If only he could feel their touch
Their voices he could hear.

His life would be complete then
He may not be afraid to say goodbye
But he fears deep inside his heart
In this nursing home he will die.

Our loved ones go by so quickly
And tomorrow he may be gone
Someday it may be you....sitting
In a far off nursing home.
© 1999 Sandra Tolson Please respect the rights of the author and Passions in Poetry. If you would like to use this poem on your own web page, please contact the Author. Thank you.
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26 Visitor Comments (from the Voting form)
  • Virginia
    Just incredible! A beautiful poem and it is nothing but Reality. I worked in a Nursing home, was a Nurse, and oh how true this poem surely fit some patients. Many many had no family nor visitors. We, as Nurses , tried to fill in, however, we were the only Family they knew. Such a warm and great piece of poetry. Very very touching. Please keep up the good work. I can honestly say it is about the BEST poem I have ever read.
  • Cheryl
    Just Beautiful! So true. And THANK YOU!
  • Tracy
    I want to thank you for reminding people how lonely your elderly family member can be when in a nursing home. My father was in a nursing home for a little over two years before he passed (and he passed in the nursing home with myself, one of my sisters, and one of my brothers by his side). Even though he was close enough that we could visit him several times a week, the nurses became his adopted family. He loved them very much but still missed his family and the normal life he had. As a visitor though, it was very difficult going in there and seeing the amount of residents who would not get visitors. even on holidays! People need to know to stop making excuses and JUST GO! The nurses were wonderful where my dad was, but he wasn't home. and he missed it and the family. So, thank you again for reminding everyone.
  • Amrita
    This is meant for those who forget what their parents are to them and to those who are alway there for their parents. Life is like a cycle we should not forget.
  • Unknown
    OMG! I play the viola and play at a nursing home with my class twice a year. I talked to one and wrote a poem almost exacly like this. Like almost the smae! Thats irionicly scary. Anyway! I like your poem, it is sad and moving. As is mine. Maby we will boath have them published someday.
  • cecilia
    this poem made me cry! makes me think about the many people that are looked up behind a glass door and so far away from their homes!
  • Lisa
    Beautiful, moving, sad, and yet so true this poem touched my heart
  • Kevin
    I really need to HUG my DAD now. Thank You
  • Neha
    hi. im currently working on my research. "development of a module for the enhancement of interaction between the youth and the elderly" . saw this poem and all that i can say is that it really hurts to know that people do this to those who have cared for them throughout their life.
  • salvador
    i love your poem i like the way you say what you say. Your poem really got to me. It is sad to sit alone without your loved ones. i can some what relate to this and im not that old. Your poem is briliant i loved it.
  • Kirk
    I lost my Dad this year. And I miss him a lot. i had to put him in a home because i could not take care of him any more. I hope he did not feel this way. Your peom has really moved me. you really can make me feel in side. and i needed to see this peom, some how i think God sent me to your peom. Thank you for doing it.
  • JENNY
    WONDERFUL
  • Barbara
    Some times I get so frustrated with my father, who like your uncle has forgotten so much of his life. After reading " He Sits Alone", I know that I will keep him with me for the rest of his life. Thank You for reminding me how precious each day is with this wonderful man.
  • Brittney
    that was such a great poem. I have a great geat aunt who is 101 and is living in a nursing home in south texas. our whole family lives in north texas which makes it hard to see her. For her 100th birthday, our family went to throw her a supprize birthday which come to find out she has alzheimer's. it hurt me very much to know that she doesnt remember me, since we've been so close all my life. she is a survivor of her brothers and sisters, and her children, of which her son passed away recently. not to mention everyday she cries for someone to visit her and to go home. thankyou for writing this poem. it was awsome
  • JUlia
    I really think that this poem is sad because I work in a nursing home as a CNA and everyone of my patients are like my family. There are an estimated 60 people on the station I work on and I can tell you a story of most of their lives and know most of their families my name and face. They are like my family, and I love them just as much as I love my own father and mother. I talk with them and care for them. I pray with them and cry with them. They are my life and if there is a person in a nursing home that is alone all the time , they are in the wrong nursing home. Where I work our residents are very much loved and talked to a great deal. we show much pride in the quality care that we give our patients. It is my wish that no one ever die alone or prepare to die alone. That is a tragedy that I could not bear. I was called by GOD to do my job and god bless everyone who is or ever has been in a nursing facility. Thank you!
  • April
    This poem is so well worded, it touches my heart! Very good job, well done!
  • Brandy
    This poem is truly touching. It is sad that many elderly people spend their last days alone. I will never do that to my mother or my grandparents. I cant even imagine the pain. Your poem may get people to actually look in the others perspective. Good work.
  • Michele
    i like this poem a lot. it toucked me dearly. i felt like this poem is how i feel about my grampa. he's sick and dying. i just thought u would like to know that this was a great poem to everything on what i wanted to say about my grampa.
  • steve
    That was Beautiful.
  • M
    What a touching poem. I just buried my Dad 4 days ago and he died in a Nursing home without his family around. He had Alzhimers. My Father had molested me when I was 12 and attempted to molest my older sister when she was 13. I have struggled with the lasting effects of his molestation all my life and never confronted him with it. My sister took care of him in her home until his lewd remarks she could no longer endure . We were never sure when he knew what he was saying and when it was beacuse of the Alzhimers. I became able to seperate the ugly side of my Dad from the humerous side of him which I loved. I cannot expect my late earthly Father to be perfect just as I am not perfect. Nor do I approve of the lifetime of mental difficulties that he provided me through his very wrong judgment. A nursing home is a very lonely place for someone to have to perish in. The Authors Aunt should seriously consider relocating this person so that loved ones could visit. No one deserves to be isolated from access to family especially in their last days.
  • Paul
    A very touching & true poem. To often our parents & grand parents are left alone because when they get older no one seems to have time to spend with them & to care for them. This is sad and we should all learn from this poem to do a little extra for our parents & grand parents, after all if it wasen't for them & their love for us & their sacrifices where would we be.
  • Angie
    This was a very inspiring poem. I really enjoyed it!
  • katie
    I THINK THIS POEM IS GREAT IT MADE ME CRY
  • Edith
    A sad but true situation I have seen several similar situations. Too bad they cant read this poem.
  • anita
    it hit my family life and i want to say thank you it is great!!!!
  • Sunny
    Bravo! I loved this poem. Very Well Done
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