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John's (old age) Home
| Open Poetry #30 |
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John's (old age) Home |
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ice Member Elite
since 2003-05-17
Posts 3404Pennsylvania |
A human form, in darkness blends With all other solids, into non living shades. * Sitting alone, consumed by shadow In the pitch of a midnight room: One small beacon shows A meager existence, of life In the persistence, of a coffin nail dot That competes with the dark with its light; The end of the Pall Mall glows With each wheezed breath, (And as fire consumes the weed) Its orange-red color, Wanes, and with each Inhale...grows brighter. * The din of boredom surrounds him, Entombed , by silence cursed; These are his things of plenty. * His life is all irony, but pills smooth The cloth that has wrinkled his destiny. But still alert is he enough to wonder, Why his family never comes To stir the hush that fills his every days, And he dreams of happy, vivid walks On merry former paths, With friends that called him "Johnny". * But no human light illumes his room Except for bulbs of strangers faces Who poke in his room to see if he's dead, Or call him to breakfast, or lunch, or for meds Or to place him in better circumstance, Arranged in a circle of chairs; In the parlor with other sad immigrants. * At night he is left, alone in his cell Awake with his thoughts, he waits, For mercy found when life abates And prays for peaceful release; Of his body from his living hell. |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
ice...Such a vivid portrait...stirred memories of my grandmother, and of a place I went to yesterday to deliver flowers that made my heart hurt. You see with clear and compassionate eyes. |
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ecrivan Member Elite
since 2001-12-10
Posts 3923my own state |
Good to see this..yes it's a time to be "frielich" but too many are ignored and shut away in their misery. A hardy season's greeting to you and the best for the coming year! |
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Seymour Tabin Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720Tamarac Fla |
ice This ice gave me a chill. |
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ice Member Elite
since 2003-05-17
Posts 3404Pennsylvania |
Thank you for the nice comment... When the heart hurts like yours did yesterday you can be assured that it is working at more then its biological function...It is love and compassion that made it ache....two very good attributes in this or any other age.. * ecrivan Yes, it is time to be "frielich" if only the world would carry that feeling with them everyday... Thank you for your reply, and season's greetings...both mean a lot to me... * Seymour Thank you Seymour I believe the chill you feel is from the draft of compassion that was felt when this poem opened the door to your heart...something (that by reading your poems) I know is always there... |
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pictureme Member
since 2003-11-28
Posts 248Ohio, USA |
ice....this one sort of grabbed my heart and strangled it! It stirred my emotions and I wanted to hug "Johnny". Thanks for sharing this one! keep keeping poetry alive! pictureme :-) |
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Sadelite Member Elite
since 2003-10-11
Posts 2519 |
ooohhhhhh myyyyyy. You painted this well!!!I could feel the inhalation of cigarette and the gasping air and see that spark as the only lightness in the room. I liked how you later used light to introduce those onlookers. I thought it interesting how you took something with such a positive image (such as light) and used it to show the opposite. Did I make sense? This was a great, but sad write. Sadelite [This message has been edited by Sadelite (12-21-2003 11:40 PM).] |
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iliana Member Patricius
since 2003-12-05
Posts 13434USA |
My grandmother and mother both owned nursing homes before all the state and federal laws governing them made it impossible for regular folks to help others in this way. The regulations were necessary but it hasn't really changed the way many people are cared for and it is one of the biggest dollar industries in the nation. So -- let's say I have a vivid memory of people just like this man -- you described the situation to a T. Unfortunately, many times even the loved ones who are visited a couple of times a month still suffer terrible depression. It is a process of giving up things, one by one. |
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ice Member Elite
since 2003-05-17
Posts 3404Pennsylvania |
Pictureme The vision of this man also "grabbed my heart" I just had to write that image down....Johnny has now gone gentle into that good night (thank you Dylan Thomas) If nothing else, John has helped me keep poetry alive,,,thanks for commenting.....:-) * Sadelite You made perfect sense in what you said in your comment...It brightens my day when I am understood...thank you....:-) * iliana The Ma and Pa "rest" homes in my area have all closed up, and they were the best in personal care.....A group of Mennonites had one, it was like a real home, had garden space for the residents, art programs, speakers etc....but government regulations closed them down....now those "residents" all have been squeezed into big brick houses like penitents waiting in purgatory....sigh, my mind has need for more happy thoughts, but you get the idea..... Thanks for commenting....:-) Again, thank you all for your replies....:-) _______ice ><> |
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Mistletoe Angel 
since 2000-12-17
Posts 32816Portland, Oregon |
 (big hugggsssssss) Ever so often my heart does ache beautifully, and so I know just how you feel! Compassion can be a plague all to itself when you feel it ever so much, sometimes when the tears keep flowing it feels like self-destruction, but my strength only shows how I can make it a paceful weapon and try to touch the hearts of all and comfort them! (wipes tears) I too don't like corporate capitalism at all and much prefer the ma and pa stores as they do their work out of love, while corporate buyouts do their work out of profit I'll be so happy when I move up to Portland, Oregon and spend much time on the free beach where ma and pa stores remain everywhere! God Bless You, sweet friend, we all love you so much! You have such a beautiful heart, sweet Ford, thank you for sharing!  May love and light always shine upon you! Love, Noah Eaton "You'll find something that's enough to keep you |
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