Saturday 19 May 2007

The Sarge

Bend the ear of a wise old man
telling him what this place is;
over and over, you'll waste your time
just shouting empty phrases~
He won't read lips, he's never has
he's spent his life just is he as
He's all mixed up and all that jazz
the words, his mind erases.

~~And yet somehow I never fail
to communicate frustration
it's always clear and never lost
in the aging or translation~~

Guide him gently down the aisle
He's got a limp, it takes a while
overlook the caustic tone
Commanding was his style~
Now take the time to softly smile
mind your manners, walk that mile,
Don't patronize, but recognize
he thinks you're Gomer Pyle.

He speaks of friends he lost at war
and thinks his kids are only 4
incontinent and up all night~
prefers you called him Sarge.
Sit beside him, don't you worry
let him eat without the flurry
let him lead, and listen well
you'll come to love The Sarge.

You never know how it'll be
if you reach that golden 93
you hope your mind will last as long
but there ain't no way of telling~
They say that it is in the genes
but who knows what brings down our beans
if we lose our ears and minds
let's hope there's no one yelling.

9 comments:

Angelissima said...

sounds like love is in the air for our Miss I, G Clair.

Gina said...

ya mean Geezer love?

josie2shoes said...

The closer I get to those not-so-golden years, and from observing my father, I wonder how it will be when I am that age. I hope I'll be blessed with a caretaker like you, who remembers to show some compassion.

Gina said...

Haha...Josie....you have no idea. I don't take much crap from no confused old person....I tell the nasty bast to 'shut...up' when she's calls me a 'disgusting creature' when I am breakin my ass trying to hoist up her drawers, She forgets I said anything a second later. No harm done. Most of the time I am okay.

We try.....Thanks for always thinkin' the best. Poetic license allows for kindnesses above and beyond the scope of reality.

Gina said...

sorry to burst the bubble.

josie2shoes said...

Hahaha, I love it! Yup, a little poetic license there... but still we all have moments when we've had enough, and I know that being a caretaker has those moments! My niece's grandma is really a treat - hits and bites and snarls at anyone who tries to come near her. But of course she doesn't remember, so it really isn't her. I'm betting you'd be the first to cry "foul" if you saw any patient being abused!

Gina said...

Sounds like Grandma needs the right medication. Is she in a facility? Since they did away with the restraints, thank God, people are treated with more compassion and there are various med regimes which would settle her down. It's a rough road for the families and caregivers, and can take its toll on the patient as well.

Yeah, I don't tolerate abuses, though I have said shutup under my breath to a couple of very nasty people who would forget it the next second. I aim to please, generally.

Have a nice day!

Angelissima said...

I wanted to leave a post on another poem, but the comments are unavailable...

Gina said...

billy bob and me are gonna git hitched jest as soon as he kin git a deeee-vorce.

kidding, Ang.