Old friend
it pains to see you as you are;
Grasping at old straws of old delights.
Filling in your empty days
with empty, aimless nights.
How soon before the trembling and the shakes?
The snakes and ladders of the mind.
The wobbling gait, the drooling mouth
and lolling tongue?
Old friend
it pains to see you now.
Rembering you
when you were brightly young.
I like the way you have opened the poem with 'Old friend' and juxtaposed this with the last line 'when you were brightly young.' A wonderful tribute to your friend Jerry. Justine.
A warmly delivered, uncompromising and poignant tribute to a generous man and a good listener. There but for the grace of god go many who use alcohol to dull their pain. Your last line is my favourite - 'remembering you when you were brightly young'. love, Allie xxxx
The degradation of the health of a loved one is always hard to see. Hopefully the memories of the good times can help to void out some of the pain of the last days of ill health. It's always hard to deal with, for all parties involved. Wonderful tribute poem, great work as usual Jerry. Fondly, Ashley xoxo
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Pain of the heart. But your friend, remembering old delights(or reliving them) is happy in his mind. You are so expressive of emotions...this is a good poem, Jerry. Whether old, or 'young' again, he'll always be there.xxElysabeth