Carolyn Devonshire Poet Free verse

A Living Dilemma

making out a living will
how long to keep a respirator plugged
how much quality of life to demand
and who will have the final say

family members might let you linger too long
not wishing to burden anyone, but still determined
best friend since school days chosen for this task
needed someone who’d do as I wished, not as they wanted

the dilemma wasn't really in how to go
it was in having it done my way
is there someone to whom you’d entrust this duty
knowing not what tomorrow might bring


*by Carolyn Devonshire

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Don Johnson November 23, 2011 at 4:05 PM yapping at the turnpike here, next step im off to heaven, just turn of that bloody pipe, whatdya mean ya name is Kevin, orright...

Carol Sunshine Brown November 23, 2011 at 6:10 AM Congratulations on your win in Joe Flach's "A Dilemma" contest Carolyn. Love, Carol

Barbara Gorelick November 22, 2011 at 5:11 PM LNC..I love the write, but worry about the content...Your going to be around for a long time..love you... BG

Honestly J.T. November 22, 2011 at 1:57 PM congrats on your poem win- JH

Gwendolen Song November 22, 2011 at 6:17 AM Congrats to you, Carolyn for sharing intimate plans for your departure to heaven. I really appreciated the details of this write. Everyone should have a living will and durable power of attorney for health care. This poem speaks to the wisdom of this choice. Luv, Gwendolen

Mandy Tams The Golden Girl November 22, 2011 at 1:27 AM Hi a worthy win ,Congratulations x

Nancy Jones November 21, 2011 at 6:38 PM Yep, glad this got recognized, oughta be read, congrats, namaste~N

James Peranteau October 28, 2011 at 11:12 AM I'm leaving it all up to you Carolyn ! Pull the plug for me, will ya ! A thought fill write my friend ! Have a good one dear poet....much love, james

Jack Horne October 27, 2011 at 8:36 AM What a sad piece, my friend. Beautifully written, as always, of course. I do hope it will be many years before your friend has to carry out your wishes, as it were

Dr.Ram Mehta October 26, 2011 at 6:29 PM Very soothing and inspiring ending "dilemmas not only make us choose, they make us think", Carolyn. How are you? and thanks for your comments on my poems

Gwendolen Song October 26, 2011 at 3:08 PM You chose wisely to have chosen a friend, Carolyn. Deal with this on a daily basis in my job. I just want to die in my sleeep. No living will required. lol. I really enjoyed this informative write. A warm spicy soup mail awaits you in the kitchen. Gwendolen

Joe Maverick October 26, 2011 at 12:42 PM I see Carolyn... this is a tough one indeed i take this so many ways, so many facets and the seeming unfairness of situations anyway i wish you well in the contest..! and be sure, i will be checking on you..Joe

John Freeman October 26, 2011 at 12:36 PM You got it girl. I think I will just go out in the woods by myself when I feel the time is near, like my american ancestors did. Sound more like the thing all the time. I will do some checking on hand gliding in Arkansas and see when and where they are doing that now. I know at one time they were handgliding just north of where I live on Senic Route 7 in the ozark mountains. Agape, Moses

Black Eyed Susan October 26, 2011 at 9:57 AM i love your 1st 3 stanzas. such thought provoking questions you ask - ones we usually want to avoid thinking about. this will do great in the contest :)

Andrea Dietrich October 25, 2011 at 11:19 PM VERY good poem, chock full of wise thoughts, Carolyn. I sure wish I knew what to write for this contest!

Dan Kearley October 25, 2011 at 10:57 PM Soup Mail :-)

Francine Roberts October 25, 2011 at 10:09 PM very touching entry for Joe`s contest, wishing you the best of luck, you have soup mail re: my contest

Nancy Jones October 25, 2011 at 9:41 PM Yep, a dilemma, I see it each day. Is one of the hardest for me to let others have their own way. So maybe the next 'test I'll do will be on suffering, thanks for the post, Carolyn, admire your writes muchly, namaste~N