The Cranky Old Man

The Cranky Old Man is a touching poem about aging that has moved countless caregivers around the world to tears.  

An old man died alone in the ward of a nursing home in Australia, with nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses go through his meager possessions, they found a simple but beautiful poem. Its content impressed the staff so much that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.

And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this anonymous poem winging across the Internet.

The Cranky Old Man 

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, and long days 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 and now, a lover he'll meet.

A groom soon at twenty, my heart gives a leap.

Remembering, the vows, and 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,

Bind to each others, with ties that shall 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 around 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 vigor 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, and gone too fast.

And accept the fact that nothing can last.

So open your eyes, people, open and see.

I’m not a cranky old man.

Look closer and see,

 The young soul in ME!!

 (written by Phyllis McCormack, adapted by Dave Griffith)