Carolyn Devonshire | + Follow Poet |
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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

Copyright © Carolyn Devonshire | Year Posted 2011

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Don Johnson Date: 11/23/2011 4:05:00 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... Login to Reply

Carol Sunshine Brown Date: 11/23/2011 6:10:00 AM Congratulations on your win in Joe Flach's "A Dilemma" contest Carolyn. Love, Carol Login to Reply

Barbara Gorelick Date: 11/22/2011 5:11:00 PM LNC..I love the write, but worry about the content...Your going to be around for a long time..love you... BG Login to Reply

Honestly J.T. Date: 11/22/2011 1:57:00 PM congrats on your poem win- JH Login to Reply

Gwendolen Song Date: 11/22/2011 6:17:00 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 Login to Reply

Mandy Tams The Golden Girl Date: 11/22/2011 1:27:00 AM Hi a worthy win ,Congratulations x Login to Reply

Nancy Jones Date: 11/21/2011 6:38:00 PM Yep, glad this got recognized, oughta be read, congrats, namaste~N Login to Reply

James Peranteau Date: 10/28/2011 11:12:00 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 Login to Reply

Jack Horne Date: 10/27/2011 8:36:00 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 Login to Reply

Dr.Ram Mehta Date: 10/26/2011 6:29:00 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 Login to Reply

Gwendolen Song Date: 10/26/2011 3:08:00 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 Login to Reply

Joe Maverick Date: 10/26/2011 12:42:00 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 Login to Reply

John Freeman Date: 10/26/2011 12:36:00 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 Login to Reply

Black Eyed Susan Date: 10/26/2011 9:57:00 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 :) Login to Reply

Andrea Dietrich Date: 10/25/2011 11:19:00 PM VERY good poem, chock full of wise thoughts, Carolyn. I sure wish I knew what to write for this contest! Login to Reply

Dan Kearley Date: 10/25/2011 10:57:00 PM Soup Mail :-) Login to Reply

Francine Roberts Date: 10/25/2011 10:09:00 PM very touching entry for Joe`s contest, wishing you the best of luck, you have soup mail re: my contest Login to Reply

Nancy Jones Date: 10/25/2011 9:41:00 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 Login to Reply