The Righteous Sentinel

You came to visit a nursing home today You saw me there, a sentinel along the hallway My aged and twisted body, sitting in a wheelchair Looking out at a busy world with a vacant stare But my brain still works, and memories abound Of a beautiful life, With love’s caress Of sixty years of wedded bliss Of babies nursing at my breast My soul mate ‘s death, that left me all alone Of children with busy lives grown and gone Of a crippling stroke that struck me down To languish  here with the smell of urine all around I wait here for my fate, for my death I have no fear I have sweet memories of yesteryear So all I ask for is a smile and maybe a wave When you are going past on your way So acknowledge me if you dare to care  Because one day you may be here, sitting in this metal chair And maybe a stranger passing by will say “hello” to you Making you feel young again, like  a  sweet morning dewI wrote this for all the lovely sweet older people who have no one and and are put in Nursing homes to wait for death.My mom spent her last days in one but thank God she had a lot of loving family visits..I challenge every one who reads this to leave a smile the next time they see a sweet sentinel. Written October 17th, 2001 © on Oct 17 2001 11:05 AM PST   0 • 9