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Dirty Old Man

by David Pekrul
copyright 02-16-2005


Age Rating: 10 +
Dirty Old Man


He sits in the park and feeds all the birds,
And watches the children at play,
An old man of eighty, he sits all alone,
Remembering a time in his day,

When he was a boy, just playing around,
Making fun of a man on a bench,
Who was feeding the birds and watching him play,
A dirty old man with a stench.

"Just a dirty old man" he heard himself say,
And all the kids started to laugh,
They would tease and make fun, like it was a game,
They were thinking the old man was daft.

"Just a dirty old man" with nothing to do,
(They knew not the things he had seen),
"Just a dirty old man" with no where to go,
(They knew not the places he'd been).

A Sailor, a Merchant, a Preacher, a Dad,
A Doctor or maybe a Judge,
If they would just ask him and learn of his past,
But they would not try; would not budge.

And the old man just sat there and took it all in,
As they teased him by calling him names,
For he knew that in time they would be just like him,
And the brunt of some other kids' games.

Now the young boy turns eighty years old today,
And sits on the bench and weeps,
As the kids in the park call him 'dirty old man',
For those things that he sowed, he now reaps.




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        04-14-2013     theredrose        

Excellent! This is most excellent!
I wrote a poem about an old woman I used to visit in a nursing home. After she died I gave the poem to the nurses and careworkers. They make it part of their training now. It would complement this piece so beautifully. I Love the way you composed the writing. It was measured and solid. Just like the old man.

        09-13-2005     Brian Dickenson        

Well done David. This should be compulsory reading for all children.
As you will appreciate, I can, and do, speak from experience.
I'm not at the park bench level yet, but I do at times feel as though I am becoming invisible. Also many younger people, mostly shop assistants, talk to me as if I'm a child, or mentally retarded.
In this I am not alone, all of my peers at my golf club feel the same.
Unfortunately I doubt it will ever change. How many young people ever think they will grow old. I know that I never did.
Brian


        02-26-2005     Mary -BrytEyz- Ball        

Every time I see an elderly person I can't help but wonder what stories they have to tell. I wonder what fascinating lives they lived. I wonder who their first love was, what was their first car and could the excitement and fear of driving be seen in their young innocent faces? I wonder what lessons they've learned that I could learn from so I don't repeat them. My mother used to try and teach me...but I didn't want to listen because we all know that teenagers know everything already. I must have gotten pretty dumb in the past twenty years because all of a sudden I dont' know enough of anything and I can't wait to learn more every chance I get. Someday I'll be an "Old Bat" and want to share my own stories... I hope someone will want to listen.

        02-24-2005     James Shammas        

It's amazing how, even as adults, we forget to look past the appearances of the elderly and forget that they were vibrant, meaningful people to society; we certainly forget that they still can and do make contributions at their current ages. I frequently am called to see very old people, as patients, and when I try to take the time to talk to them, I often am humbled and grateful. One I can remember was a 90 year-old man who was a retired colonel in WWII; I left there with a real appreciation for all who came before me.



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