A Nurse’s Reply

What do we see, you ask, what do we see?

Yes, we are thinking when looking at thee!

We may see to be hard when we hurry and fuss,

But there’s so many of you, and too few of us.

We would like far more time to sit by you and talk,

To bath you and feed you and help you to walk.

To hear of your lives and the things you have done;

Your childhood, your husband, your daughter, your son.

But time is against us, there’s too much to do –

Patients too many and nurses too few.

We grieve when we see you so sad and alone

With nobody near you, no friends of your own.

We feel all your pain and know the fear

That nobody cares now your end is so near

But nurses are people with feelings as well

And when we’re together you’ll often hear us tell

Of the dearest old Gran in the very end bed,

And the lovely old Dad, and the things that he said,

When you sleep the long sleep, no more worry or care,

There are other old people, and we must be there.

So please understand if we hurry and fuss

                                                                                                                                                               There are so many of you, And so few of us

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