»
Archives
»
Open Poetry #47
»
Darkened House
| Open Poetry #47 |
|
Darkened House |
|
|
JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana 
|
An old man in a darkened house Drags his feet down a hallway In his undershirt On a mission Maybe the good spirits Will reach out Help him remember what the mission was Touch him just for goodness sakes Ease his restless journey Guide his steps That he does not take a bad tumble The old man Who once could charm shadows Wore a smile a mile wide First in line to help where needed These days the vast night of old age Imprisons him When he can't find what he is looking for He remembers now He's searching for his walker Hasn't used the cane in a long time If he finds it the old one Won't remember why he needed it The old one Alone, gives a strangled sob Raises an arm As if warding off old ghosts Ghosts who now are as old and as helpless as he The man holds onto the wall As he shuffles up and down the hall Forgets where to stop And why He is no longer viable In his moments of clarity He wishes to end his life But the moment is fleeting And he forgets He hears the bray of the ghostwolf Sometimes The ghostwolf stands where the big timber grows Sometimes If the old man is feeling just right He howls back to the ghostwolf A mournful Plaintive wail of his own And the wingbats in the bell tower Applaud ~ All those who believe in telekinesis, raise my hand. ~ |
||
| © Copyright 2011 Jerry Pat Bolton - All Rights Reserved | |||
|
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Jerry, to live with such a ghost is unbelieveable, yet done every day... and even the ghost would ask for a doctor by the term of release maker... for who would want such an existance? This hurts, because I know. Because I know, I wish I could help. I wish I could help answer wishes. But only if a miracle. FYI, I started to gather lines until the whole of it would have been reposted, here. |
||
|
JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Ah, thank you Sunshine. It really is tragic that people must live in this way. I understand that it is a growing-to-die situation, but for the most part these men and women are shunted away somewhere where it is no beneficial to their well being. I remember when I was young and wondering how it must be to have to live like that. Anyway, thank you, sunshine. I've had a sort of a dry spell, that's the reason I've been absent. ~ Man who wants pretty nurse, must be patient. ~ |
||
|
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
I, for one, am glad you're back. |
||
|
JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
That seems to be the total of those who are, Sunshine, and I thank you. ~ Man who wants pretty nurse, must be patient. ~ |
||
|
OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Achingly sad poem, Jerry, and superbly written with compassion and clean, bare honesty, along with a mastery of words, emotions and imagery. One of your very best, in my humble opinion. I, too, am glad you are back - in as far as I knew you were away - I haven't been in Pip regularly lately - too many mini-, midi, and maxi-crises to handle. Don't assume others aren't glad. I am sure many others are too. Many (like me) are very pressed for time, whether or not they pop into Pip or not and whether they have time to reply or not. Smiles. Owl |
||
|
Lori Grosser Rhoden Member Patricius
since 2009-10-10
Posts 10202Fair to middlin' of nowhere |
Jerry, Darling, I was just being fashionably late....So where the h E double hockey sticks have you been? or did I miss an announcement? I more than happy you are back, I'm relieved, thought something might have gone south on you...  My Mom is slipping away...becoming a ghost, you struck deep my friend. Good write Lori |
||
|
JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Ah, I understand the obligations and things that keep one away from PiP, Owl . . . ~ Man who wants pretty nurse, must be patient. ~ |
||
|
JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Fashionably late, eh, Lori? Good to see you too. I have just been kinda down in the dumps lately. So very sorry to hear about your mother. Life may be a bitch, but dying is a mother . . . ~ Man who wants pretty nurse, must be patient. ~ |
||
|
Shortysdadd Junior Member
since 2011-06-26
Posts 39 |
I enjoyed this. It brought back memories of when I was a young nursing student working with the elderly. They would tell me stories about themselves when they were my age. When they were young. I would dutifully help with their walkers and canes giving them a polite smile completely unaware that they were subtle prophets warning me of my own future. A future that you so clearly captured here. |
||
|
JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Appreciate it, Shortysdadd, yep, those days will creep upon us (already have me nearly) before we know it. I don't appreciate how the Big Guy worked all this out. Thanks again. ~ Man who wants pretty nurse, must be patient. ~ |
||
|
katahdin Senior Member
since 2010-07-01
Posts 1196ME. In the Shadow of the Mt. |
This sounds like a description of someone experencing Alzheimers. Well done. Glad to see you back. kat >^..^< |
||
|
Juju Member Elite
since 2003-12-29
Posts 3429In your dreams |
This pull at the heart strings -juju -Juju |
||
|
JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
kat, that was the premise of the poem. That and I'm angry at God for setting it all up this way. Actually I'm only angry with him when I give him credit for it all, which I don't always do. Thank you for the comments. ~ Man who wants pretty nurse, must be patient. ~ |
||
|
JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Juju, if it pulled at your heartstrings, I feel vindicated for writing it. Thank you. ~ Man who wants pretty nurse, must be patient. ~ |
||
|
Namyh Senior Member
since 2009-01-20
Posts 988 |
JerryP - What a graphic poetic premonition of what waits for all of us who live long enough and will have to endure the ravages of old age, the deterioration of mind and body and the big final confrontation just around its corner. That's scary Jerry for anybody over 50 and a prayer for anybody over 30 and a warning for anybody over 20. You wrote this well JP. It's a lesson in mortality for each of us. Namyh P.S. - I'm calling my doctor right away. I think I need a physical. LOL. |
||
|
JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Haha Well, since I am seventy-two I wake up each morning wondering if this is the day, Namyh. Thanks for the nice comment. ~ Man who wants pretty nurse, must be patient. ~ |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||
