The Night Nurse

The decision was to work at the Old Folks home Working the night so he could be alone Walking his rounds in the semi dark And on the hour at his station to make his mark It was lonesome work in those hours With only his thoughts and sometimes using his nursing powers His reasons for working at this chore He wouldn’t divulge any less or more For he was raised by his grandfather’s hand A gentle soul raising him with more persuasion than command Until one day he came home from school Wondering why his grandfather had not followed the rule For he did not collect him at the school gate And for an hour he did patiently wait Until he finally decided to walk on home He followed the way his grandfather has shown Then he was home using his key to unlock the front door Dropping his bag he saw his grandfather collapsed on the floor He took his grandfather in his arms and cried And could do nothing as he watched and saw he’d died All he could do was sit in disbelief And want to tell grandfather of his love in his grief The years went on until one day he hatched a plan alone And he trained as a nurse in aged care homes He volunteered for the night shift times When as the duty nurse it suited him fine And when an older person was on their last hours on earth He’d sit with them and comfort them with all that he was worth And lastly he would whisper in their right ear When you see my grandfather tell him I love him dear. © Paul Warren Poetry