Stephen W Atkinson

Woodchip

by Stephen W Atkinson

Monday 5th December 2022 4:31 pm

He picks at the woodchip

at the bottom of the stairs

Thinking: so what if I die?

Nobody cares

Was it my Christmas jumper

I went up to find?

Or, perhaps, I was looking

for the rest of my mind ?

He picks at the woodchip

at the bottom of the stairs

Thinking, so what if I die?

Nobody cares

My carer is due!

…Or has she just been?

I can't quite remember

when last she was seen

He picks at the woodchip

at the bottom of the stairs

Thinking, so what if I die?

Nobody cares

She's got a nice file…

I think I mean smile

She's so merry flushed…

I think I mean rushed!

He picks at the woodchip

at the bottom of the stairs

Thinking, so what if I die?

Nobody cares

My netface! Neckchase! Necklace!

With a button to press!

He taps at his chest

But, there, it no longer rests

He picks at the woodchip

at the bottom of the stairs

Thinking, so what if I die?

Nobody cares

Tap, tap, tap tap. Code Morse!

He thinks back to being a kid

And secret codes used

To reveal where they hid!

There's no woodchip left to pick

at the bottom of the stairs

As he remembers the kid

And the people who once cared

But, the people are now leaving

They slowly walk away

As night time comes too early

On a bright, fresh winter's day

Tap, tap, tap, ta…

-. --- -... --- -.. -.-- / -.-. .- .-. . ...

🌷🌷 (14)

Ageconcern helptheaged

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Comments

Stephen Atkinson

Mon 12th Dec 2022 22:26

Thank you Uilleam, & I think you may be right. When I was growing up I called every neighbour Aunty! And we all helped each other. Changing times.
And, Thank you John! Nice to see you're back as well with some of your mind bending & brilliant poetry! I think I was on the up for about a day, now I'm back down lol. But thank you for buying my book, it's very much appreciated. I keep changing the format & grammer slightly, maybe one day i'll get it right 😅 Thanks again 🌈

JOHN F B TUCKER

Mon 12th Dec 2022 12:47

Hi Stephen, was away from the site for about a year - is good to find you still here upon returning. I enjoyed your elegy for the Queen - and have just bought a copy of your book - so hopefully that will arrive soon - but I just wanted to say it's really good to see you on the rise. John 😎

Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Mon 12th Dec 2022 10:52

I suspect that in many cases, what accentuates the anguish of both carers and patients these days, is the physical distance between our families / communities.

There's a saying that "it takes a village to raise a child";
I think that's also true with regard to our senior citizens.
💓

Stephen Atkinson

Fri 9th Dec 2022 20:38

Thank you Holden, and John, yes my Mam is going through the same. A tragic thing to witness

Holden Moncrieff

Fri 9th Dec 2022 04:47

Really powerful, and written with great sensitivity, Stephen! 🌷

John Coopey

Wed 7th Dec 2022 21:37

This resonates with our family's experience of my mother-in-law, Stephen, whose brain is rapidly emptying with dementia. (Her, that is, not you!)

Stephen Atkinson

Tue 6th Dec 2022 20:03

This was inspired by one of those ambulance/hospital documentaries which depicted a similar event. Overworked carers & lonely, vulnerable pensioners. Enhanced over the winter season
Thank you very much for the comments Julie, Rose & John, and Jennifer, I know exactly what you mean. Concentration becomes a slippery skill! And thank you very much Brenda, Tom, Stephen & Leon, and yes, it was the Devil's wallpaper! 🌈🌷🌷

julie callaghan

Tue 6th Dec 2022 16:58

Brilliant and heartbreaking. 😢

<Deleted User> (9882)

Tue 6th Dec 2022 12:54

Brilliant but so sad Stephen and I think your best one

Rose 💋

John Botterill

Mon 5th Dec 2022 21:53

Sad but so very true, Stephen

jennifer Malden

Mon 5th Dec 2022 19:32

So well described, with compassion, but seeing also the tragedy of it all. Find even now, being pretty ancient have to concentrate on what I'm doing!!! Rather alarming. Perhaps better in our grandparents' day when they didn't often get this far. remember as a child, being taken to see an 'Uncle Charlie' who was 80, in a wheel chair and presented as a king of holy relic! Definitely frightening.

Brenda Wells

Mon 5th Dec 2022 17:31

Really got inside the head of this person, while giving him a voice.
So important, it's very easy to observe the behaviour and forget the anguish of the individual.
Thank you

Tom

Mon 5th Dec 2022 16:52

Brilliant Stephen. Definitely got to me. 👍

Stephen Gospage

Mon 5th Dec 2022 16:41

Genuinely moving and frightening, Stephen. The real thing.

<Deleted User> (34685)

Mon 5th Dec 2022 16:33

ohh-if I ( as a pro-decorator ) had a quid for every roll I had hung of that el cheapo wallcovering I'd be a very rich man-but! once on, you try getting it off! 😮 only with a steam stripper was the answer in them thar days

fab poem man

LS

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