Lord, grant me peace within this day,
make each thought be undefiled.
Let your light only illuminate my way,
so when stress comes I won’t be riled.
Sometimes I forget that I’m not alone,
then I see your hand reaching out to me.
As today’s issues make themselves known,
I’ll instantaneously think of thee.
I watched my sister fading away.
She did as she was told
Day after miserable day.
Do this, don't do that,
It's bad for you, good for you,
Mustn't get fat.
Could Nurse Ratched not see
The harm that she caused?
The pain she inflicted
Gave me pause.
Play by the rules,
Sound advice for some fools,
But not for this one.
I make my own laws,
Simply because
I have no wish
To live forever.
Mother said, "In the depths of your plight,"
"Face the storms, even when you’re not right,"
Though life’s breadth may stretch wide and tight,
Hold onto dreams, let them shine bright.
She spoke of a world with borscht and more,
Of paths where the warmth is hard to restore,
Face the false and the depths you deplore,
Keep your heart steady, as you explore.
In moments of struggle, her words are a guide,
Through the troubles, where doubts often bide,
Her strength in your heart, let it reside,
Her wisdom, your light, with you as your stride.
The Lord is my Caregiver indeed
I shall not be anxious of my health’s need
He makes me to relax, from pressures to be freed
He leads me toward serenity with His comforting deed.
He restores my soul against guilt’s pain
He guides me in the paths of faith exercise-terrain
Toward practice of sharing and goodness-gain
For His name’s honour without strain.
Yes, though I walk for physical strength, and not ride
I will enjoy; fighting fears of weight I cannot hide
For He is with me, my Saviour, Shepherd,* Redeemer and guide
His wisdom and counsel direct my steps not to backslide.
He prepares a table with nutritious food before my sight
In the presence of sweet delicacies’ tempting blight
He feeds me along festive nourishing delight
My appetite is savored well and right.
Surely kindness of His spirit will flow
And I will continually thank Him, making me glow.
*Psalms 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
(Dramatic Monologue in Rhyme)
May 15, 2024
Poem of the Week, May 19-25
3rd place, "Modern Version Psalms 23" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Miranda Hawley; judged on 5/22/2024
The caregiver of mentally challenge
Family or friend, needs to try and
Protect their own mental health first
Because if you don’t, who will
Caring for a mentally challenge person
Is not easy at all, there are many challenges
In some cases, mental health facilities
Make things worse on caregivers
Everybody has rights, and that includes
A caregiver, they have the right to
Protect themselves, their mental health
And their lives, because if something happens
What then?
I really honor Elizabeth Dole foundation
what it really means to be a caregiver
I'm the caregiver of my husband's
memories now ipte y wn anxieties
all 101 airborne west Mooreland
my husband is indeed a hero he was
captured a pow Vietnam he was placed
in what they call a hooch he and four other
troops managed to escape set out searching
for other pow's they went in and found senator
John mccain with tears in his eyes he describes
how broken and brave John was he referred
to him as his brother who couldn't walk the four
men carried him out he describes a cage with rage
not as glamorous as the hooch a hut infested
where he was stored the four men rescued
John who was flighted out the four men stayed
on their post starvation and draught the water
contaminated three men refused to drink the crater
water meaning water standing in left over bombs
my husband drank the crater water the three others died
that night from dehydration my husband survived
only by drinking contaminated water suffering
tremendously today my granddaughter has orders
to Kuwait in deep prayers I anticipate the upcoming date
Caregiving is not for the weak
Giving care trying not to be bleak
Medicine changes, pill bottles around
Changing of diapers without even a frown
Pain and regret
As they forget
Memory lapses and confusion
Sometime life is an illusion
Sometimes the routine causes stress
All you want is some rest
Many doctors to see
Thank God for the nurses helping me
Hope for the best
Pray for the rest
As we treasure each day
Before they slip away
You know what they want to say
As you help them through the day
Even though they withdraw
You know that they love you
It's not fair it's not right,
All year caring for others,
Full of life and laughter,
A laugh that was so contagious,
We all had to laugh with you,
She loved a LARGE mug of tea,
She said things as she saw them
A fighter not someone to give in,
Illness didnt win with you,
A front liner you where a carer,
When you became ill we new you would fight,
But into hospital you went,
You did fight for so long,
Seeming to turn a corner,
But covid beat you in the end,
Your a woman to be remembered,
She wouldnt want tears,
Celebrate her life laughter is what she would want,
Elaine the stars will shine brighter but it will be darker here.
You will be remembered by everyone your life touched xx
deathly ill, distant light, caring eyes
I’ll envision for you
The end of unsightly things
So you see only the
Beauty memories bring.
I’ll strengthen the love in your heart
So as the light fades
There’s no fear of the dark.
With every breath you take
Faith, trust and hope will
Strengthen the bonds we create.
Being a caregiver is a labor of love
Whose reassurance comes
When we seek guidance from above.
Knowing this task comes with a price
We accept it and take on
A personal sacrifice.
Aside from life’s other to do’s
There’s no provisions
We won’t make for you.
Continued patience is rest assured
Fathomable only in walked steps
And with faith, endured.
For the long haul it’s just me and you
Facing each day
That comes anew.
So until our last days are to arrive
We’ll sit back and watch
Each sun set and rise,
No longer seeing unsightly things
But forever holding
The beauty memories bring.
6/28/20 JJSmalls
Nana looks after the children
Nana takes care of the children
She's caregiver
A hero protects those people
From those villains
Their a caregiver
A doctor mending his patients
Co curing their illness
Their a caregiver
A fireman putting out blazes
Climbing up down ladders
He's a caregiver
A policeman with gun
And other means protects the citizens
He's a caregiver
A minster one whom leads the sheep
Being a shepherd sharing and teaching God's words
He's also a caregiver
Humanity let's stop and see allow,
your righteous light to shine
Yes! Even you to are also a
Caregiver
5/22/20
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr 2020
What do you want to be, little boy?
I want to be caring and giving
No, no, no: WHAT do you want to be?
You know, like a pilot or something
I already told you: caring and giving...
Yes, all of us have to make a living
But this child's answer I'm hereby forgiving
You are stronger than you know
I see the card and I smile
She believes in me more than I do.
I am startled realizing this about myself.
You can get through this
I flip the card over.
Read the name. Had no idea she cared.
Had forgotten we were ever friends.
So many memories
People floating in and out of my life
Some I thought I would keep forever
Left quickly and completely
Others I had automatically disliked
For no reason
And they have stayed forever
Lifting me up
Showing me my best self.
Nothing like the caregivers.
She had the disease only small-town women usually get
But she got it, and she was a New Yorker.
Born and raised on three blocks.
An anomaly.
Always wanting to help someone
Asking if we needed anything
Arranging the cakes for others weddings
Never having one of her own
Babysitting other’s children
Never confessing to one herself.
A friend to the friendless
A pillar on the block
The go-to-person who always went
Who always came
Who was the first one.
She died of
Good-neighbor-liness,
And we were all the recipients,
Taking more than we gave.
Note: Sundowning – Most commonly in Alzheimer and Dementia patients, Sundowning, is changes in behavior that get worse in late afternoon, evening and can even last all night. Patients may be agitated, confused, unable to sleep; it may appear in other forms of disruptive behavior.
Eight sleepless nights, pacing non-stop;
legs, knee-bent, dragging toes are scraping carpet.
Enduring a painful back; each breath drawn
makes it throb and exhaustion’s in control.
I can’t sleep until he sleeps;
must stay awake in case he falls.
I hold my breath to stand;
it dulls the sharp stabbing pain in my back.
I swallow another migraine pill and
pray for him to fall asleep; he does not.
Respite eludes me; caregiver to a dementia-mind,
I collapse into a chair, dizzy and call myself an ambulance.
I’m drained, hungry and he’ll Sundown several nights.
I pass out and am brought around by an EMT;
my patient's oblivious to the fact that
anyone’s come into the house…
he paces…and paces…
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