Creative Traditional:

[ronbliss]

Going Home

My old bones feel so heavy,
Sitting in my easy chair,
This world is getting colder now,
And no one seems to care.

I’m reaching now, my final days,
They’ve dwindled to a few,
Each one much like the one before,
And soon they will be through.

At ten o’clock my son will come,
To take me to a home,
Where all I’ll do is eat and sleep,
Bathe; brush my teeth and comb.

I glance about my living room,
Where I’ve sat, many years,
The laughter of this room is gone,
Now all that’s here are tears.

All good times are, but memories,
Now faded with the past,
So soon I leave this all behind,
Who knew it wouldn’t last?

I gaze out of my window,
To my garden ‘crossed the lawn,
Next spring it will not matter,
As all this will then be gone.

Next week they’ll be an auction,
They’ll sell all I once held dear,
My son says it will be too hard,
On me, if I am near,

Three years now, I’ve been alone,
That’s when I lost my wife,
Since then, seems nothing matters,
And I’m running out of life.

Oh yes, I know, I’m very frail,
And I forget my pills,
There’s many things that I can’t do,
And someone pays my bills.

It’s just that I don’t want to go,
My son says, “Dad, it’s best”,
“For there, you’ll get the care you need,
And your required rest.”

I’ll get to share a twelve by twelve,
With some old man like me,
Who’ll be as sad and lonely,
As a man alone can be.

My things are packed, just one suitcase,
Not much for eighty years,
Now looking back, those years now spent,
My eyes are filled with tears.

Oh God, please call me home right now,
I do not want to go,
I want to be with my sweetheart,
Because I love her so.

I want to be with you dear Lord,
Let Heaven be my place,
I want to leave my world of gray,
And gaze upon Your face.

I packed some photos of my wife,
Inside with my few clothes,
A few mementos of our life,
With meanings no one knows,

One last stroll around the house,
The bedroom, kitchen, den,
I hear my son’s car in the drive,
The clock is striking ten.


Do you know anyone who has gone through
this stage in life? Go... and visit with them.

[Benny]

One can not feel the depth of this work you have written until they feel the depth of it firsthand...as I read this I could not help but breath a deep held sigh...brings a tear to my eye knowing how your old man felt in this poem. Indeed, wonderfully written and truthful to the point of pain.

[ronbliss]

Benny,
I guess that is why you and I and others write. In hopes that we can project emotion we feel into the hearts of someone else. Thank you for reading my poem and especially for taking the time to respond. When I wrote this piece I tried to be empathetic with what someone in this circumstance would experience. Again, Benny, thank you.
Ron

[Nikos Tselepides]

Ronbliss:

This is a very moving poem, and I cannot find words to express how much it moved me.

It almost brought tears to my eyes.

Many thanks again for a wonderful and deeply human poem.

[ronbliss]

Nikos,

Thank you for your very kind words. I truly appreciate it.

Ron Bliss

[Terence]

Hi Ron,

A good friend's father is in such a situation so I can relate, through them, with what you have written. I think you have described the varied emotions very well and, though there are also some good times, the prospect of going to a nursing home must bring on a very lonely, morbid feeling. Great write, I shall be sharing this with my friend.

Terence

[ronbliss]

Terence,

Thank you for reading my poem and for taking the time to comment. Your comments are greatly appreciated

Ron

[zaac]

that was searingly perfect. u get caught up in the story and the rhythmic choice was perfect.

zaac

[ronbliss]

Zaac,

I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment on the peom, "Going Home". Your words were very kind. Thank you.

Ron

[Mysty]

OMG Ron.... do you know how hard this has hit me?? I am crying here..... because yes I know someone ... My Dad was just put in a home last fall by his wife..my aunt/stepmom... she could not care for him any longer. He is 73 almost 74 years old and has the fastest moving form of Senile Dementia that doctors here in Canada have ever seen. I miss my Dad so much. The vibrant, passionate, compassionate loving man that he was.... the gardener, the dreamer, the voice of reason, the tease, the stern one, the teacher... father, grandfather. This is a beautiful and accurate way to summarize my Dad's life. He is now just a shell of his former self and has become so childlike. No matter how much I love him .... it is soooooo hard to see him like what he has become. Although this one hurts me .... I am gonna favorite it.. Thank You Ron ..... *cries*..

Mysty