crabbit old woman reflective essay

A Crabbit Old Woman By Phyllis Mccormack

This sample essay on A Crabbit Old Woman By Phyllis Mccormack provides important aspects of the issue and arguments for and against as well as the needed facts. Read on this essay’s introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

How make the Writers of ‘Remember ‘ , ‘Crabbit Old Woman ‘ and ‘Refugee Mother and Child ‘ use their verse forms to research the subject of decease? Christina Rossetti ‘s ‘Remember ‘ , Phyllis McCormack ‘s ‘Crabbit Old Woman ‘ and Chinua Achebe ‘s ‘Refugee Mother and Child ‘ all explore the effects of decease and the agony it causes for everyone straight involved.

In Rossetti ‘s ‘Remember ‘ the poet shows us the hurting and desperation associated with decease. McCormack ‘s ‘Crabbit Old Woman ‘ is a supplication for people to see past the typical stereotype of old people as being hopeless and non deserving caring for, when they are approaching decease. Chinua Achebe ‘s ‘Refugee Mother and Child ‘ conveys to us the arrant devotedness a female parent feels for her kid whilst cognizing that her clip is limited, and is based on refugees in the Nigerian civil war in the 1960 ‘s.

In Christina Rossetti ‘s ‘Remember ‘ a adult female is first inquiring her spouse to ne’er bury her even though she is close to decease, but so changes her head and realizes that it is rational for him to bury her and populate his ain life. The first stanza starts with her stating “ Remember me when I am gone off, ” in this the adult female addresses her loved one, and even though she uses the imperative it does non experience commanding at all.

Proficient in: Chinua Achebe

“ Ok, let me say I’m extremely satisfy with the result while it was a last minute thing. I really enjoy the effort put in. ”

In making this Rossetti has efficaciously established a sense of understanding towards the adult female. The following line “ Gone far off into the soundless land ; ” uses “ Gone far awayaˆ¦ “ as a euphemism of decease and with the usage of the word “ far ” the euphemism becopmes more powerful due to the fact that distance is added. The other half of the sentence “ soundless land ” nowadayss us with a placid image of the hereafter whilst still giving the reader a sense of isolation through the usage of the word “ soundless ” . Rossetti uses initial rhyme in “ keep me by the manus, ” to clearly demo us what their relationship used to be and to show us with a physical connexion that has been lost because of her decease. The 2nd stanza is similar to the first in the sense that she is seeking to convert her spouse ne’er to bury her. The concluding stanza gives us a dramatic alteration to the remainder of the verse form. She now tells her spouse that it would be all right to “ bury me for a piece ” . This shows us that she is really a caring individual and merely wants what is best for her spouse, and instead have him travel on than linger in hurting for the remainder of his life. As we are now given an image of her lovingness love the verse form ends optimistically.

As this is a sonnet it should follow either the Petrachan construction or the Shakespearian construction, ‘Remember ‘ does neither, although it is rather similar to the Petrarchan construction. A Petrarchan construction would typically follow the rhyming form of A-B-B-A/A-B-B-A/C-D-E-C-D-E ( the cuts stand foring the alteration in stanza ) , whereas Rossetti ‘s sonnet follows the rhyming construction of A-B-B-A/A-B-B-A/C-D-D-E-C-E. I found that Rossetti normally changes the rhyming form in her sonnets [ 1 ] . This is done deliberately as the significance signifier the eight has now been changed in the six. At first it was a supplication for her spouse non to bury her, and so it changed to her desiring her spouse to bury. This makes the poem really fluid because non merely does the context of the lines alteration, the rhyming form has besides adapted to this alteration in context. The iambic pentameter adds a really smooth beat to the verse form, doing it look as though the adult female is unagitated and non angered, even in decease.

‘Crabbit Old Woman ‘ and ‘Remember ‘ are likewise in the sense that they both have a voice showing an statement which pleads for recollection. In ‘Crabbit Old Woman ‘ we are presented with an old lady whose end is to seek and convert the nurses to see past the typical stereotype of old people as hopeless and non deserving caring for, as she is approaching decease and does non desire to be remembered as such. The rubric of this verse form instantly evokes a sense of decease as old age is frequently associated with it. The first 22 lines are a series of inquiries which are directed towards the nurses, and are seeking to uncover the typical beliefs that the nurses have when caring for the old adult female. The turning point of this verse form occurs at line 23-24 “ Then open your eyes/ you ‘re non looking at me. ” This line is the old lady demanding to be acknowledged by the nurses. The original negative onslaught upon the nurses has now changed to positive, happy memories as we are led through her life. In this life narrative the linguistic communication has wholly changed from a colloquial manner to a more poetic manner. This alteration is shown by line 34 “ with wings on her pess, ” which is a metaphor for the freedom she one time had, whereas now her freedom is restricted as she can non go forth the infirmary. The remembrances of her life are highly accurate and since we are traveling through her life as she ages it feels as if we are turning the pages of a book “ At 40 ” , “ At 50 ” . One interesting thing that McCormack has done is that she has kept this portion all in present tense. Making this is a manner of demoing the reader that these memories are kept fresh in her head, and it shows us that she can retrieve it with easiness.

The following turning point of the verse form once more induces a temper alteration except this clip it is from positive to negative. The really first line ( line 57 ) of this temper alter entirely sets the tone for the remainder of the verse form. “ Dark yearss are upon me, ” this line shows us merely what her life is like now, fearful and cold. The personification of nature in line 67/68 “ Tis her joke to make/ old age expression like a sap. ” shows us her ideas and feelings ; that she feels like an imbecile and is at that place to be laughed at. This last portion contains imagery associated with death- ” crumbles ” , “ old carcase ” and “ beat-up bosom ” . This imagination makes the reader recognize what is go oning to the adult female in her old age, and that her decease is inevitable. The concluding thing worth adverting about this verse form is that although the adult female does non desire to decease she accepts that her decease is a “ blunt fact ” and asks the nurses one more clip to see past her physical organic structure and look inside and see who she truly is.

Similarly, ‘Refugee Mother and Child ‘ besides presents a series of “ blunt fact [ s ] ” to show the horrors of decease for the refugees in Nigeria. In Chinua Achebe ‘s ‘Refugee Mother and Child ‘ we are shown what day-to-day life is like for refugees in the Nigerian civil war ; they are filled with decease and sorrow. This verse form is based on the refugees who were in the civil war in Nigeria in the 1960 ‘s [ 2 ] , and although he bases this verse form on merely one of the refugee households, in kernel this was what was go oning to all the refugees. This civil war created 1000000s of refugees which had to fly to the south-east of Nigeria to avoid being killed2. One of the first things Achebe does in this verse form is arousing a sense of spiritual images of fear by mentioning to “ Madonna and Child ” . These images suggest the sheer devotedness the refugee female parent feels for her deceasing kid, and it besides attaches non merely a physical love but a religious love every bit good. This first stanza is in complete contrast the 2nd 1 in which we are presented with negative and coarse linguistic communication, which portrays the state of affairs of the refugees. Achebe has efficaciously appealed to three of our senses: touch, odor and sight with “ combed the rust-colored hair ” , “ smell of diarrhea ” and “ blown unfastened abdomens ” respectfully. Achebe uses these vulgar images to seek and do us understand the cruel world of the universe, which is, many guiltless people enduring due to the effects of war. Physical descriptions of the refugees such as “ exhausted ribs and dried-up undersides ” are used to once more seek and do us understand the horrors that these people face every twenty-four hours. Stanza 2 starts off with a reasonably long gap sentence which has few verbs. This is deserving adverting because since there are less verbs it implies the deficiency of energy these people have. The female parent is associated with a “ shade ” twice in this verse form. This pick of enunciation gives us the feeling that she is close to decease and that even her ain decease is inevitable, non merely her kid ‘s. Last Achebe reminds us of the female parent and kid ‘s old lives, which were normal ( this would hold been before the civil war in Nigeria ) . In making this we are brought closer to them. The concluding simile of the verse form “ now she did it like seting bantam flowers on a grave ” brings us back to world and makes us recognize that the kid will decease.

All three verse forms deal with the subject of decease frequently in direct and clear ways. Although each of the poet ‘s talk about different facets of decease, they all still complement each other in footings of the concluding results for the characters portrayed in the verse form. Achebe ‘s verse form shows the results of wars and political battles whereas Rossetti ‘s and McCormack ‘s verse forms both trade with decease in a more controlled environment where the cause of decease is non due to the states struggles. The chief difference between all three verse forms is the manner decease is presented. In ‘Remember ‘ , although decease is a critical portion of the verse form it besides revolves around emotions of the characters alternatively of merely the coarseness of decease. This is a contrast to ‘Refugee Mother and Child ‘ where the coarseness of decease is the chief facet of the verse form. ‘Crabbit Old Woman ‘ besides differs to the other verse form as age is an of import feature of the piece. ‘Refugee Mother and Child ‘ and ‘Crabbit Old Woman ‘ likewise use physical imagination which ‘Remember ‘ does non. This usage of physical imagination makes understanding the poet ‘s message finally easier. In decision these verse forms have given me a greater grasp for the complexness of decease and how it can differ so abundantly from individual to individual.

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'kate': the constant rediscovery of a poem.

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Bornat, Joanna (2008). 'Kate': The constant rediscovery of a poem. In: Johnson, Julia and De Souza, Corinne eds. Understanding Health and Social Care. London, UK: Sage, pp. 14–22.

URL: http://www.sagepub.co.uk/textbooksProdTOC.nav?prod...

'Kate' or 'Crabbit Old Woman' or 'Open your eyes' is a poem which has become iconic within care delivery settings, training programmes and generally in the UK, even worldwide. It has an origin story, found in the bedside locker of a frail older person never heard to speak whilst she was alive, which adds to the strength of its message. In the chapter, the poem's history is explored, including excerpts from an interview with Chris Searle who was amongst the first to publish it in the 1970s. Assessing the poem's contribution thirty years later, the chapter ends by suggesting that although opinions may be divided as to its origins and qualities, its role in pointing to the need to be constantly self critical with regard to care of older people, cannot be ignored.

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Crabbit Old Woman: A Poem attributed to Phyllis McCormack

• Phyllis McCormack

• Crabbit Old Woman

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Poetry Analysis: "Crabbit Old Woman"

"Crabbit Old Woman", is also entitled "Look Closer Look Closer Nurse, Kate, Open Your Eyes or What Do You See?" The authorship of the prescribed poem is uncertain. It has been pointed out by critics that the author is Phyllis McCormack.

The tone of the poem is persuasive; the speaker of the poem is an infirm woman in the geriatric ward of a Dundee nursing home. The poem was first published in the poetry anthology Elders (Reality Press, 1973) edited by Chris Searle. Searle is uncertain about the authorship of the piece, but voices it as the genuine writing of an old woman. "Crabbit Old Woman" had later featured in the Christmas edition of "Beacon House News" .It was a magazine of the Northern Ireland Mental Health Association. This was the Lady's gift to generations to come. The poem has been oft quoted in works meant for caring for the elderly and underlines the need to enable them to lead a life of self-esteem. It comes across as a poniter to humane treatment where man is caught in the rat race of survival of the fittest. As per the Daily Mail ( 12 March 1998), "Phyllis McCormack's son claims that his mother wrote it while working at the Sunnyside Hospital in Montrose in the 1960s, where she submitted it anonymously to a small magazine intended just for Sunnyside with the title "Look Closer Nurse"." The term 'crabbit' is Scottish slang for 'grumpy' or 'miserable'. If the word 'crabbit' is viewed as an English word, it also comes across as a portmanteau word that is a cross between 'crab' and 'rabbit'. The poem comes across as a criticism of the perception of people in general when it begins with : What do you see, what do you see? Are you thinking, when you look at me- Does the act itself result in contemplation, or does it amount to a mere mechanical act of seeing. She is grumpy senile woman who is now not sharp as she used to be. She has mellowed down owing to age, and is now uncertain of habit too. She dribbles her food over, and is characterized by an incorrigible hearing disability. People insist that she do things on her own without comprehending her predicament. Her memory and absent-mindedness are now inversely proportional to each other. The frail lady keeps losing her stockings and shoes. She now lets anyone handle her according to their will placing implicit trust in them. This is the case, whether she is unresisting or not. She tells the nurse to open her eyes, though she looks at her. The nurse has to look beyond her seeming vegetative existence. The woman has with her years of experience, and a history that defines her. She was once defined through the love of her dear ones. The poem has similarities with Sylvia Plath's "Mirror" that drowns a young girl within its frame. And also with Margaret Atwood's "This is a Photograph of Me" where the poetess requests the readers to locate her in the photograph where she is not visually visible. The lines suggest how Nature and human nature seem to be cruel to human beings as their health deteriorates. In a competitive and manipulative era, people are driven by the business principle of profit and loss. Therefore, since the aged have no utility value, they are viewed as objects to be relegated than regarded. In such a stance, love transforms into mechanical duty and responsibility turns to burden. She shudders as she looks towards the future. Her young ones are now rearing their younger ones. She sees in them a picture of herself, and her heart goes out to them. For, this trend will go on and on in .Though history is individual at times, it also repeats, and has its characteristic universality. She has a 'stone' now where there was a heart. Perception has rendered it so. The body seems like a carcass as it is static. It is defined by movement, and not by emotions." The body is crumbled, grace and vigor depart," However, the speaker ascertains that a young girl resides within this body even now, who has a future to look forward to. The pains and joys are still afresh. Though her heart is battered through harsh experiences, it is capable of swelling through intense emotions. She is just young enough to live life again and whole-heartedly. The past seems to be short-lived,as she has not had enough of it. She urges with the nurse to see her. Ironically ,the job of a nurse is to look after people. Here ,the nurse far from 'looking after', does not even heed to 'see'. Nevertheless, she accepts the ultimate truth in Life: Death, that nothing can last. And yet somehow makes the resolution with a die-hard spirit: And I'm loving and living life over again.

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Crabbit Old Woman.

Mind and Mental Health Magazine , 01 Jan 1972 , 1972(Autumn): 34-35 PMID: 27671440  PMCID: PMC4997204

Abstract 

Free full text .

Crabbit Old Woman

A poem about old age and its reflections of youth said to have been found among the effects of an old woman after her death in a geriatric hospital.

Full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version. Get a printable copy (PDF file) of the complete article (1.3M), or click on a page image below to browse page by page.

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Europe PMC is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

EgbertoWillies.com

Political involvement should be a requirement for citizenship

Crabby Old Woman Poem – A poem we should all read

February 17, 2015 By Egberto Willies

My mother sends me a whole lot of email jokes, chain letters, and other stuff everyday. I shake my head at some. I laugh profusely at others. The crabby old woman poem actually touched a nerve. You never know what is in someone’s mind, what they are thinking, or what has been their life experiences.

For all of those we observe from afar whether because of physical proximity, spiritual proximity, ethnic proximity, or socioeconomic proximity, ignorance to their reality is the biggest source of misunderstanding. The poem is the perfect encapsulation if sometimes a bit abstract on some some.

Give it a read and share it.

CRABBY OLD WOMAN When an old woman died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in Moosomin, Saskatchewan, it was believed that she had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through her meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse  took her copy to Alberta. The old woman’s sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on this simple, but eloquent, poem. AND THIS LITTLE OLD WOMAN, WITH NOTHING LEFT TO GIVE TO THE WORLD, IS NOW THE AUTHOR OF THIS ‘ANONYMOUS’ POEM WINGING ACROSS THE INTERNET CRABBY OLD WOMAN … What do you see nurses? .. .. .. What do you see? What are you thinking .. .. .. when you’re looking at me? A crabby old lady .. .. .. not very wise, Uncertain of habit .. .. .. with faraway eyes? Who dribbles her food .. .. .. and makes no reply. When you say in a loud voice .. .. .. ‘I do wish you’d try!’ Who seems not to notice .. .. .. the things that you do. And forever is losing .. .. .. a sock or a shoe? Who, resisting of not .. .. .. lets you do as you will, With bathing and feeding .. .. .. a long day to fill? Is that what you’re thinking? .. .. .. Is that what you see? Then open your eyes, nurse .. .. .. you’re not looking at me. I’ll tell you who I am .. .. .. as I sit here so still, As I do at your bidding .. .. ..as I eat at your will. I’m a small girl of Ten .. .. .. with a father and mother, Brothers and sisters .. .. .. who love one another. A young girl of Sixteen .. .. .. with wings on her feet, Dreaming that soon now .. .. .. a lover she’ll meet. A bride soon at twenty .. .. .. my heart gives a leap, Remembering the vows .. .. .. that I promised to keep. At Twenty-Five, now .. .. .. I have young of my own. Who need me to guide .. .. .. a secure happy home. A woman of Thirty .. .. .. my young now grown fast, Bound to each other .. .. .. with ties that should last. At forty, my young sons .. .. .. have grown and are gone, But my man is beside me .. .. .. to see I don’t mourn. At Fifty, once more, .. .. .. babies play ’round my knee, Again, we know children .. .. .. my loved one and me. Dark days are upon me .. .. .. my husband’s now dead. I look at the future .. .. .. and shudder with dread. For my young are all rearing .. .. .. young of their own. And I think of the years .. .. .. and the love that I’ve known. I’m now an old woman .. .. .. and nature is cruel. ‘Tis jest to make old age .. .. .. look like a fool. The body, it crumbles .. .. .. grace and vigor depart. There is now a stone .. .. .. where I once had a heart. But inside this old carcass .. .. .. a young girl still dwells, And now and again .. .. .. my battered heart swells. I remember the joys .. .. .. I remember the pain. And I’m loving and living .. .. .. life over again. I think of the years, all too few .. .. .. gone too fast. And accept the stark fact .. .. .. that nothing can last. So open your eyes, people .. .. .. open and see, Not a crabby old woman .. .. .. look closer .. .. .. see ME!!! Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too! PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM The best and most beautiful things of this world can’t be seen or touched. they must be felt by the heart.

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About Egberto Willies

Egberto Willies  is a political activist ,  author ,  political blogger ,  radio show  host, business owner, software developer, web designer, and mechanical engineer in Kingwood, TX. He is an ardent Liberal that believes tolerance is essential. His favorite phrase is “ political involvement should be a requirement for citizenship ”. Willies is currently a contributing editor to DailyKos , OpEdNews , and several other Progressive sites. He was a frequent contributor to HuffPost Live . He won the 2nd CNN iReport Spirit Award and was the Pundit of the Week .

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Crabbit Old Woman

A poem about old age and its reflections of youth said to have been found among the effects of an old woman after her death in a geriatric hospital.

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Tag: Crabbit Old Woman essay

Poetry analysis: phyllis mccormack’s crabbit old woman.

“Crabbit Old Woman”, is also entitled  ”Look Closer Look Closer Nurse, Kate, Open Your Eyes or What Do You See?” The authorship of the prescribed poem is uncertain.  It has been pointed out by critics that the author is Phyllis McCormack. The tone of the poem is persuasive; the speaker of the poem is an infirm woman in the geriatric ward of a Dundee nursing home. The poem was  first published in the  poetry anthology Elders (Reality Press, 1973) edited by Chris Searle. Searle is uncertain about the authorship of the piece, but voices it as the genuine writing of an old woman. “Crabbit Old Woman” had later featured in the Christmas edition of “Beacon House News” .It was a magazine of the Northern Ireland Mental Health Association.

This was the Lady’s gift to generations to come. The poem has been oft quoted in works meant for caring for the elderly and underlines the need to enable them to lead a life of self-esteem. It comes across as a poniter to humane treatment where man is caught in the rat race of survival of the fittest.

As per  the Daily Mail ( 12 March 1998), “Phyllis McCormack’s son claims that his mother wrote it while working at the Sunnyside Hospital in Montrose in the 1960s, where she submitted it anonymously to a small magazine intended just for Sunnyside with the title “Look Closer Nurse.”

The term ‘crabbit’ is Scottish slang for ‘grumpy’ or ‘miserable’.…

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The following poem was among the possessions of an aged lady who died in the geriatric ward of a hospital. There is no information available as to her name, when she died or who she was. It is so appropriate for all nursing personnel, families, volunteers and all who come in contact with the elderly to read. At times we all lose patience with the elderly. This should help us to have more sympathy and understanding of all residents.

"Crabbit Old Woman"

What do you see, what do you see? Are you thinking, when you look at me- A crabbit old woman, not very wise, Uncertain of habit, with far-away eyes, Who dribbles her food and makes no reply When you say in a loud voice, I do wish you'd try. Who seems not to notice the things that you do And forever is loosing a stocking or shoe. Who, unresisting or not; lets you do as you will With bathing and feeding the long day is fill. Is that what you're thinking, Is that what you see? Then open your eyes, nurse, you're looking at me. I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still! As I rise at your bidding, as I eat at your will. I'm a small child of 10 with a father and mother, Brothers and sisters, who loved one another- A young girl of 16 with wings on her feet, Dreaming that soon now a lover she'll meet, A bride soon at 20- my heart gives a leap, Remembering the vows that I promised to keep. At 25 now I have young of my own Who need me to build a secure happy home; A woman of 30, my young now grow fast, Bound to each other with ties that should last; At 40, my young sons have grown and are gone, But my man's beside me to see I don't mourn; At 50 once more babies play around my knee, Again we know children, my loved one and me. Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead, I look at the future, I shudder with dread, For my young are all rearing young of their own. And I think of the years and the love that I've known; I'm an old woman now and nature is cruel- Tis her jest to make old age look like a fool. The body is crumbled, grace and vigor depart, There is now a stone where I once had a heart, But inside this old carcass, a young girl still dwells, And now and again my battered heart swells, I remember the joy, I remember the pain, And I'm loving and living life over again. I think of the years all too few- gone too fast. And accept the stark fact that nothing can last- So open your eyes, nurse, open and see, Not a crabbit old woman, look closer- See Me.

By: Phyilis McCormack

A Nurse's reply

"To the 'Crabbit Old Woman"

What do we see, you ask, what do we see? Yes, we are thinking when looking at thee! We may seem to be hard when we hurry and fuss, But there's many of you, and too few of us. We would like far more time to sit by you and talk, To bath you and feed you and help you to walk. To hear of your lives and the things you have done; Your childhood, your husband, your daughter, your son. But time is against us, there's too much to do -Patients too many, and nurses too few. We grieve when we see you so sad and alone, With nobody near you, no friends of your own. We feel all your pain, and know of your fear That nobody cares now your end is so near. But nurses are people with feelings as well, And when we're together you'll often hear tell Of the dearest old Gran in the very end bed, And the lovely old Dad, and the things that he said, We speak with compassion and love, and feel sad When we think of your lives and the joy that you've had, When the time has arrived for you to depart, You leave us behind with an ache in our heart. When you sleep the long sleep, no more worry or care, There are other old people, and we must be there. So please understand if we hurry and fuss -There are many of you, And so few of us.

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crabbit old woman

for my nan (her fave old poem)

by phylis mcormack

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Crabbit Old Woman

• 11 Feb 2015
• Comments Off on Crabbit Old Woman

In 1966, a Scottish nurse named Phyllis McCormack wrote “Crabbit Old Woman,” a poem also known as  “Look Closer” or “Open your Eyes.” Speaking from the perspective of an elderly patient, the poem is a beautiful reminder that dignity extends throughout a person’s life, from infancy to old age.

Very touching…

What do you see nurses? What do you see?

What are you thinking when you are looking at me?

A crabbit old woman not very wise,

Uncertain of habit, with far-away eyes,

Who dribbles her food, and makes no reply,

When you say in a loud voice, ‘I do wish you’d try’.

Who seems not to notice, the things that you do,

And forever is losing, a stocking or shoe,

Who unresisting or not, lets you do as you will

With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill,

Is this what you’re thinking? Is this what you see?

Then open your eyes nurse, you’re not looking at me.

I’ll tell you who I am, as I sit here so still,

As I use at your bidding, as I eat at your will.

I’m a small child of ten, with a father and mother,

Brothers and sisters who, love one another,

A young girl of sixteen, with wings on her feet,

Dreaming that soon now, a lover she’ll meet:

A bride soon at twenty, my heart gives a leap,

Remembering the vows, that I promised to keep:

At twenty-five now, I have young of my own 5

Who need me to build, a secure happy home.

A young woman of thirty, my young now grow fast,

Bound to each other, with ties that should last:

At forty my young ones, now grown will soon be gone,

But my man stays beside me, to see I don’t mourn:

At fifty once more, babies play round my knee,

Again we know children, my loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead,

I look at the future, I shudder with dread,

For my young are all busy, rearing young of their own,

And I think of the years, and the love I have known.

I’m an old woman now, and nature is cruel

‘Tis her jest to make old age look like a fool.

The body it crumbles, grace and vigour depart,

There now is a stone, where I once had a heart:

But inside this old carcass, a young girl still dwells,

And now and again, my battered heart swells,

I remember the joys, I remember the pain,

And I’m loving and living, life over again,

I think of the years, all too few – gone too fast,

And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.

So open your eyes nurses, open and see,

Not a crabbit old woman, look closer – see ME.’

The “Cranky Old Man” version of the poem is said to have been later adapted from McCormack’s version by David Griffith, a U. S. poet.

Cranky Old Man

(Originally by Phyllis McCormack; adapted by Dave Griffith)

What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see? What are you thinking .. . when you’re looking at me? A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise, Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes? Who dribbles his food .. . … . . and makes no reply. When you say in a loud voice . .’I do wish you’d try!’ Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do. And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe? Who, resisting or not . . . … lets you do as you will, With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill? Is that what you’re thinking?. .Is that what you see? Then open your eyes, nurse .you’re not looking at me. I’ll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still, As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will. I’m a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother, Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he’ll meet. A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap. Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep. At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own. Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home. A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast, Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last. At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone, But my woman is beside me . . to see I don’t mourn. At Fifty, once more, .. …Babies play ’round my knee, Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me. Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead. I look at the future … . . . . I shudder with dread. For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own. And I think of the years . . . And the love that I’ve known. I’m now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel. It’s jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool. The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart. There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart. But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells, And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain. And I’m loving and living . . . . . . . life over again. I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast. And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last. So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see. Not a cranky old man . Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. …. . ME!