Leisure, A Poem by W. H. Davies

Leisure

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

A Poem by W. H. Davies,

"Leisure" is a poem by Welsh poet W. H. Davies, appearing originally in his Songs Of Joy and Others, published in 1911 by A. C. Fifield and then in Davies' first anthology Collected Poems, by the same publisher in 1916. – via Wikipedia

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Cranky Old Man

Cranky Old Man...

 When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.

 Later, when the nurses were going through his meagre possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.

 One nurse took her copy to Melbourne. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.
 
And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.

 Cranky Old Man

 What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see?
 What are you thinking .. . when you're looking at me?
 A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
 Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
 Who dribbles his food .. . ... . . and makes no reply.
 When you say in a loud voice . .'I do wish you'd try!'
 Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
 And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
 Who, resisting or not . . . ... lets you do as you will,
 With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
 Is that what you're thinking?. .Is that what you see?
 Then open your eyes, nurse .you're not looking at me.
 I'll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,
 As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.
 I'm a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
 Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
 A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
 Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he'll meet.
 A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
 Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
 At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
 Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
 A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
 Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
 At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
 But my woman is beside me . . to see I don't mourn.
 At Fifty, once more, .. ...Babies play 'round my knee,
 Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
 Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
 I look at the future ... . . . . I shudder with dread.
 For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
 And I think of the years . . . And the love that I've known.
 I'm now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
 It's jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
 The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart.
 There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
 But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,
 And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
 I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
 And I'm loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
 I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.
 And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
 So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
 Not a cranky old man .
 Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. .... . ME!!

 Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too!

With thanks to:  J.J. Cohen 

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What if Money didn't matter?

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Margaret’s Story

Margaret’s Story

Hi folks, here is a story from a good freind of mine and I would appreciate it if you could read and click on the links to sign our petition, thank-you.... Ian

This is my story…how I got to be here…and why I started the campaign at Change.org.

My name is Margaret Dudley, I am 61 years old and live in the great city of San Antonio, Texas. I have a wonderful, supportive husband and we have three daughters and six beautiful grandchildren.

Remember when cosmetic tattoos were first becoming popular? Permanent lip liner and eyebrows were all the rage. Many of my girlfriends and I had these procedures done and the results were great. It was nothing extreme… just a little subtle enhancement. We are ‘baby boomers’ and quite honestly not ready to look like our mothers. I looked and felt great…for a while.

I had not felt well in the years following my cosmetic “tattooing” procedure, and my doctors attributed my many symptoms to just getting older and said it was likely the onset of menopause.

I was really exhausted and fatigued all the time, and was often nauseated and bloated. I began to experience other stomach problems as well as crippling back pain. The worst of it was an awful four-year long ordeal with skin problems on the palms of both hands… severe cracks, bleeding, and extreme itching. I became very depressed as doctors continued to misdiagnose my symptoms for eleven years.

One day, a proverbial light came on and I told my doctor about a lady who had this procedure done at the same place that my friends and I did and she was diagnosed with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) after she donated blood(More).My doctor immediately ran the test and the very next day (September 9th, 2011) I received the devastating news that I, too, was infected with this disease.

I immediately began researching and learning everything I could about this disease, trying to learn what was in store for me, what treatment was available, and most importantly, if there was a CURE!

Then I found the best news…

I learned there was indeed a cure for this awful virus that was now growing rampantly in my body. This cure consisted of two drugs, GS-7977 (now called sofosbuvir) and daclatasvir. When combined in Phase II trials this combination cured 100% of the most prevalent type of Hepatitis C.

And this treatment had minimal or no side effects!

The two drugs with this amazing success rate are owned by Gilead Sciences and Bristol-Myers Squibb. I was actually scheduled to be in this very trial which was being conducted by my hepatologist and leading HCV researcher, Dr. Eric Lawitz who heads Alamo Medical Research Center here in San Antonio; but due to a delay in my liver biopsy I missed the trial by mere weeks. Dr. Lawitz assured me once the results were released in April 2012 the two drug companies who owned these two successful and miraculous drugs would enter immediately into Phase III trials and this life-saving combo would soon be available for me and the countless millions of others who are suffering and dying with this disease.

There were many news articles on Fox News and other media outlets discussing the progress and amazing success of these trials. My family and I were so confident that these Phase III trials would soon be underway. My youngest daughter even postponed her wedding by six months knowing by then I would be cured. (Kim was married this past September 29th)

Then all of a sudden it was abruptly announced by Gilead Sciences that there would be no Phase III trials, with no conceivable or plausible explanation as to why! This felt even more devastating than my initial diagnosis, if that is possible!

Seeing that my life and millions of others now hang in the balance, I launched a petition at  Change.org urging Gilead Sciences to make this life-saving medication available for the millions of HCV sufferers as well as for myself. Although it feels much like a David vs. Goliath battle trying to get Gilead Sciences to reconsider their position I have now become an advocate for this cause and have formed a grassroots effort, HCV Coalition for The Cure. I want to bring the nation’s attention to this dire situation.

I have heard thousands of heartbreaking stories from people who need this cure and they need it NOW! I am asking you to sign this petition because everyone is affected by Hepatitis C, either fighting it, or knows a family or friend who is.

“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” -Ryunosuke Satoro

Your signature could be the drop that creates this ocean! And it may be the very one needed to get this cure for millions.

Sincerely,

Margaret Dudley.

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Gilead Sciences: Please collaborate with Bristol Myers for the Cure for Hepatitis C NOW!

Please read and then click here to sign this petition to Gilead Sciences, organised by Margret Dudley via Change.org -

"Because patients should be first and foremost. This disease is now killing more then HIV"
 

Dear Gilead Sciences

Over 170 million Hepatitis C Virus sufferers and their families were ecstatic when you released the data at the past European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) conference about the spectacular results achieved with the drug combination of your GS-7977 and Bristol-Myers’ daclatasvir.

It was nothing short of amazing, a 100% cure rate in genotype 1 patients and 91% in genotypes 2 & 3 without the utilization of Interferon or Ribavirin. Our prayers were finally answered, or so it seemed. Then, to our utter dismay and puzzlement, Gilead Sciences elected not to take these drugs into Phase III trials!

If recouping the investment of $11 billion and making profits are at the forefront of Gilead’s considerations, it would seem that expediting these drugs to market would be the paramount concern. If Gilead Sciences is determined to move ahead without Bristol Myers Squibb’s Daclatasvir and elects to pursue drug trials with GS-7977 + Ribavirin (along with its dreadful side effects) or GS-7977 + GS-5885, then it is a shame that the published results of the drug combination of GS-7977 and Bristol-Myers’ Daclatasvir has brought false hopes to over 170 million HCV sufferers and summarily, left us in a state of despair!

What is to be achieved in future trials with other drugs? How can Gilead Sciences abandon a proven drug combination that has 100% cure rate, with minimal side effects (headaches, fatigue, and nausea)? These are results that are going to be hard to top.

It is estimated that currently only 3% of the HCV population elects to undergo treatment because of the dreadful side effects of Interferon & Ribavirin. Please factor into your considerations that nearly 100% of HCV patients would undergo treatment if these drugs were made available.

If Gilead Sciences delays moving ahead with the efficacious GS-7977 and Bristol-Myers’ daclatasvir trial-proven drug combination, how many more people will advance to cirrhosis and/or liver cancer, how many more will require a liver transplant, and how many more lives will be lost?

Click here to sign this petition, Thank you... Ian

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