This wee ditty results from observations in my current "care home" placement.
With thanks to Mike Parkinson for the idea.
Oli
Innumerable indignities I see,
the worst of these by far are pop and wee.
To stop the urine pickling Peggy’s skin,
we simply pop a wee catheter in.
In case our wandering Wullie comes to harm,
we pop a wee injection in his arm.
Since breakfast Jock’s been acting highly strung,
I’ll pop these wee pink pills beneath his tongue.
Where’s Alec – is he nowhere to be found?
They popped him in a wee hole in the ground.
I pray to all the gods if gods there be,
to save my mortal soul from pop and wee.
Oli 21/06/08
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Written by fellpony (1608 comments posted) 21st June 2008 |
Ah Oli - there you are! released on good behaviour I see.
Good points made here - and another terrible word is "just"... "I'll just do X ... you'll just feel a wee scratch..." |
True Sue
Written by Talisker (1326 comments posted) 21st June 2008 |
& that rhymes too!
"Just" is another abused "softener".
Best regards to you & yours,
Oli |
Written by Phil (6713 comments posted) 21st June 2008 |
Good to see you're still around, Oli.
Light but bloody depressing and scary - so effective.
Never really considered 'life' in one of these institutions before the last three months. Circumstances and health needs have seen my grandma admitted to a nursing home and I've been visiting. I can't think of a less dignified way to round off a life. On top of that there's guilt. I could have her live with us - but I'd have to sell our house to pay for the medical care.
'I pray to all the gods if gods there be,
to save my mortal soul from pop and wee. '
Who wrote the one about dying disgracefully?
Phil |
Written by Brett (781 comments posted) 21st June 2008 |
Like Phil, I found this very effective. I think it is the contrast between the light rhythm and the stark content.
Enjoyed (if that's the right word!)
Cheers |
Written by fellpony (1608 comments posted) 21st June 2008 |
| dying disgracefully, Phil - that would be me, on here, but others have done it too: McGough's "Let me die a young man's death" for instance. |
Or perhaps...
Written by Talisker (1326 comments posted) 21st June 2008 |
Who wrote the one about dying disgracefully?
Dylan Thomas'
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day:
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
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Written by Phil (6713 comments posted) 21st June 2008 |
That's the one I meant - Sue's must have stuck in my mind too. Can you put a link in, Sue?
Phil |
Written by fellpony (1608 comments posted) 21st June 2008 |
Three links:
http://www.ancientsites.com/aw/Post/102161 (McGough)
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15377 (Thomas)
http://www.greatwriting.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9750&Itemid=77 |
Huge Force!
Written by Katanga (1217 comments posted) 21st June 2008 |
A very 'playful' poem that has huge force . . .
As Phil says, it's light, but oh so dark!
An excellent poem IMHO!
Cheers!
John X
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Written by Veronica_Milvus (626 comments posted) 21st June 2008 |
It's the flippancy of those words that hurts. Like the carers are trying to convince themselves that these are little, inconsequential things they are doing. But how else would they survive it?
Made me think of a time I volunteered in a care home. I might have something to write about it. |
Hard to take
Written by patterjack (1193 comments posted) 21st June 2008 |
Both your poems -- they indeed strike home to this ancient body .. Excellent in their effective simplicity
patterjack |
Written by mia_ms_kim (1017 comments posted) 22nd June 2008 |
With the above reviewers. Found the poem effective because of the light-hearted way the subject matter is treated (anything heavier would be too depressing), but then the last stanza tells us the poet is anything but light-hearted.
It also brings up a lot of questions - aged care, the role of adult children towards their aging parents (a big issue in Asian culture or any culture I suppose), even euthanasia. I think the old days when clans lived together and extended families supported one another closely, people could age with greater dignity and care.
I remember Scott Peck (psychiatrist) saying the frailty that uniquely belongs to old age is the final step in maturing as human beings and should not be short-circuited.
Sorry about going on and on, but it's something I think about often because of my aging parents.
Mia |
Written by lovelysarah1984 (81 comments posted) 24th June 2008 |
I had no idea to expect that from the title of the poem. I was amazed and a little scared that maybe some day someone will be saying those things to me. Brutally honest, fantastic.
Sarahxxx |
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